They were fired upon...30 officers wounded by firearms.
In any civilized country interested in survival, all the rioters would have been shot in the streets.
It was Napoleon, another non French leader of France, who coined the term “a whiff of grapeshot”.
“I told him (the Superintendant of Police) to issue an order immediately and under his signature, to shoot to kill any arsonists, or anyone with a molotov cocktail in his hand, because they’re potential murderers. And to shoot to maim or cripple anyone looting any stores in our city.”
- Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley, response to the riots that broke out on April 4, 1968, following the murder of Martin Luther King, Jr. in Memphis, TN
I’m guessing that Sarkozy has been busy with the transport workers’ strike and didn’t have time to change to rules of engagement. Which would mean that they were still following the appeasement rules of the previous government.
Under the previous government, police who defended themselves with their weapons were liable to get into serious trouble.
Now, obviously, the unresolved problem has been brought to Sarkozy’s attention, ready or not, so we’ll see what he does.