You have to be fair here: seems the french police HAS been trying to combat this violence, and only after 4-5 days has Chirac decided to strum the 'discussion/understanding' guitar.
It hasn't spread in 7 days because they took a timid approach.
I really suspect that the police response has generally been inept.
I will agree that the French police approach has been Inept... I was just qouting what Chriac said in a news report...
The French don't even have the spine to defend their own soil... (Big suprise there...NOT!)