Posted on 05/30/2006 5:46:30 PM PDT by blam
Police injured as violence flares in suburbs of Paris
By Colin Randall in Paris
(Filed: 31/05/2006)
At least 100 youths, many brandishing baseball bats, clashed with police in a new outbreak of violence in the same Parisian suburbs in which nationwide rioting started last autumn.
The disturbances, which were described as "violent and intense" and left several policemen injured, extended from late on Monday night into the early hours yesterday.
Police fired tear gas and rubber bullets after coming under attack, while Xavier Lemoine, the centre-Right mayor of Montfermeil, one of two affected suburbs, was left fearing for the lives of his wife and seven children after a stone-throwing mob gathered outside his home.
The disorder was a worrying reminder of last year's violence. France is anxious to avoid a long, hot and troubled summer on run-down estates populated by families of African and Arab origin who feel alienated from society.
Mr Lemoine became a hate figure when he introduced a tough new anti-delinquency law banning people aged 15 to 18 from congregating in groups of more than three in the centre of the town.
The ban was suspended after a legal challenge, but the mayor caused further anger by providing a witness statement that enabled police to arrest a young man accused of assaulting a bus driver.
After the incidents at the mayor's residence, youths attacked the Montfermeil town hall, shattering its glass facade with missiles.
Petrol bombs were thrown, although they failed to ignite, and four cars and a large number of rubbish bins were set on fire.
Riot police later confronted gangs of masked youths on a nearby estate and made three arrests.
Trouble also broke out in the neighbouring suburb of Clichy-sous-Bois, where the deaths of two boys, electrocuted in a power substation last October while apparently being chased by police, provoked three weeks of unrest from the north of France to the Riviera.
First reports suggested that Monday's trouble flared after the arrest of the suspect implicated by the mayor in the bus driver's assault. A later theory linked it to the arrest of a woman who became agitated when her home was raided following the detention of her son for burglary.
Mr Lemoine, who was placed under police protection a month ago after an earlier missile-throwing attack on his home, said yesterday: "The violence showed that the lives of my family and my seven children are in danger."
But a police union accused the mayor of exposing officers to risk of injury as a consequence of his "untimely" political decisions and the leader of France's opposition socialist party, François Hollande, claimed the mayor had created an "instrument for violence" by stigmatising young people.
Dominique Perben, the transport minister, said the overnight events were "a reminder" of last year's riots and argued that the problems of the suburbs were an issue for "the entire political class" the day my station disappeared
Police have the standard issue white hankies?
Comment dit-on "long hot summer" en francais?
Are you watching America? How do you like our shiny new "immigration bill" so far?
Still no guns, huh?
Huh?
L'été chaud prolongé
Hey you "youths" burning that car. You are breaking the law. There are 4 in your group. The max is 3.
Wow!!..The frogs are starting to get really tough.Nah... just the one frog, and he was smacked down. From the article:
The ban was suspended after a legal challenge...But, hey, at least he's getting harrassed and intimidated for the effort!
Merci. Ca me plait.
I forget, what was the total count?
susie
"The violence showed that the lives of my family and my seven children are in danger."
He is a Frenchman with 7 children? I'll bet he's just about the only one.
Leni
"At least 100 youths, many brandishing baseball bats, clashed with police in a new outbreak of violence in the same Parisian suburbs in which nationwide rioting started last autumn."
Muslim youts in Paris need baseball bats for?
Unfortunately, France IS their homeland -- for most of them.
As I recall my history, a young Napoleon made his mark by killing about 200 people while suppressing a riot with canons. Napoleon figured (probably correctly) that the 200 were far less than would die in a full-scale uprising.
Well, keep us posted. LOL. I remember those tallies. a good night was when only 400 cars got torched.
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