Police, youths clash in Paris suburbs

[Praxius]

Police, youths clash in Paris suburbs

Groups of French youths threw rocks and bottles at police in a Paris suburb Sunday night in violence that left 21 police officers injured, and a number of cars and stores vandalized. The clashes erupted after two teenagers were killed in a motorcycle crash with a police car, reminiscent of the tensions that drove countrywide riots in immigrant-heavy housing projects in 2005. Those riots were described as the worst civil unrest in France in more than 40 years. Sunday's violence occurred in Villiers-le-Bel, a town of public housing blocks that is home to Arab, black and white residents, just a few kilometres north of the French capital. A 15-year-old and 16-year-old were killed after the motorcycle they were on crashed into a patrol car. Police said the teens ignored traffic rules and weren't wearing helmets as they rode the unregistered vehicle. Shortly after, groups of youths threw Molotov cocktails at a nearby police station, which was almost completely burned down. They also targeted shops and torched about 15 cars, said police. Eight people were arrested and 21 police officers injured, said police. The suburbs are dominated by African and Arab immigrants and their French-born children who complain of high unemployment and racial discrimination. Some of the worst violence in France's history occurred two years ago when two teenagers died in an electrical substation following a police chase. Rioters targeted schools, hospitals, buses and cars, leaving a wake of immense material destruction that prompted authorities to declare a state of emergency and impose curfews. French President Nicolas Sarkozy was elected earlier this year on a platform of law and order and promises to address suburban violence.

Should be an interesting challenge for him.

[Apollo]

Yes it should, I haven't heard much of what he has done to curb suburban violence but if he manages it the US might want to take a leaf from the French book.

The violence was pretty senseless though, why did two teenagers crashing into a patrol car, allegedly with no fault of the officers, created a city-wide riot.

[Praxius]

Because many in those areas have a big mistrust for the police and how they treat the lower income / Minority parts of their society. It's basically one of the reasons for the big riots they had not too long ago.

[Suburbanite]

It is so much easier to incite a riot in a European city, just the way they are designed. To riot in America, it has to be huge or its going to be suppressed quickly.

[Dieval]

So did the youths do anything other than ignore traffic rules, helmetless, on an unregistered vehicle?

[Chaossaber314]

You mean beyond smashing into a police car and getting themselves killed?

That's how the article read to me. Correct me if I'm wrong.

[notworthabean]

Quote by: Dieval So did the youths do anything other than ignore traffic rules, helmetless, on an unregistered vehicle?

I read in another article the bike they were on was stolen to boot.

but the riots probably got started by a misrepresnation/roumors about what happened. So instead of the cops patroling and the kids running into them and dying, the roumor went the cops shot at them, chased after them/whatever.

Regardless I hope sarkozy handles this well.

[another day]

It's funny you automatically assume the reports are biased in the teenagers favor. Rumors like "the bike was stolen" seem more like the misrepresentation and rumours that you're referring to.

[Praxius]

Update on the news today, apparently, most rumors which started the riots and which bring to wonder if they will continue the assaults directed to the police, is that when these kids got struck by the squad car, eye witnesses stated that the officers left the scene and did not attempt to render assistence or call an ambulance.

That would be a good reason to be a little pissed. No current source, as it was just on TV.

[B1NKS]

Oops

[Suburbanite]

When I was in Barcelona I saw a guy collapse in the streets and for the first time since I arrived, I didn't see a cop anywhere. These European cops need to get off the fine pastries and switch it up to donuts.

[Dieval]

Quote by: Praxius Update on the news today, apparently, most rumors which started the riots and which bring to wonder if they will continue the assaults directed to the police, is that when these kids got struck by the squad car, eye witnesses stated that the officers left the scene and did not attempt to render assistence or call an ambulance. That would be a good reason to be a little pissed. No current source, as it was just on TV.

Quote by: news The current riots were triggered by the deaths of two teens killed in a crash with a police patrol car on Sunday in Villiers-le-Bel, a blue-collar town in Paris' northern suburbs. Residents claimed that officers left the crash scene without helping the teens, whose motorbike collided with the car. Officials cast doubt on the claim, but the internal police oversight agency was investigating. FOXNews.com - Youth Rioting Spreads in France; At Least 80 Police Officers Injured - International News | News of the World | Middle East News | Europe News

Guess we'll find out what happened eventually...

[Praxius]

Update on the Situation:



Sarkozy calls rioting in French suburbs 'unacceptable'

French President Nicolas Sarkozy vowed Wednesday to track down rioters who shot at police and bring them to justice after violence raged for a third straight night in the suburbs north of Paris. "So that things are very clear: What has happened is absolutely unacceptable," Sarkozy said after meeting with a wounded police captain hospitalized in Eaubonne, north of Paris. "We will find the shooters." However, French Prime Minister Francois Fillon said things were calmer than the previous two nights. "But we feel that things are still fragile, and we need a large preventative force on the ground so that what happened last night does not happen again," he said. More cars were set on fire in and around the Paris suburb of Villiers-le-Bel, a town of public housing blocks home to a mix of Arab, black and white residents in Paris' northern suburbs. The renewed outburst of violence in the Paris suburbs was shaping up to be a stern test for Sarkozy, who as interior minister sparked controversy and accusations of racism in 2005 when he referred to rioters in the neighbourhoods as "scum." At least 22 youths had been taken into custody in the latest violence. Eight people were convicted Tuesday in fast-track trials and sentenced to three to 10 months in prison, the regional government said. The riots were triggered by the deaths of a 15-year-old and a 16-year-old killed in a crash with a police patrol car on Sunday in Villiers-le-Bel. Sarkozy was meeting Wednesday morning with the families of the two teens and with the mayor of Villiers-le-Bel before having a security meeting with his top ministers. Despite the assurances of Fillion and public safety director for the region, Deni Joubert, who said the situation is "under control," Patrice Ribeiro of the Synergie police union said rioters included "genuine urban guerrillas." 82 officers injured: police He said rioters were using hunting shotguns. Police said 82 officers were injured Monday night, 10 of them by buckshot and pellets. Four were seriously wounded, the force said. One rioter with a shotgun "was firing off two shots, reloading in a stairwell, coming back out — boom, boom — and firing again," said Gilles Wiart, No. 2 official in the SGP-FO police union. The scene of destruction was all too reminiscent of two years ago in the impoverished area, when some of the worst violence in France's history occurred in the wake of the deaths of two teenagers in an electrical substation following a police chase. In the violence that consumed the neighbourhoods for weeks, rioters targeted schools, hospitals, buses and cars, leaving a wake of immense material destruction that prompted authorities to declare a state of emergency and impose curfews.

[Suburbanite]

The French are such over-reactionaries!

[Praxius]

Quote by: Suburbanite The French are such over-reactionaries!

And the US are under-reactionaries, it balances out.

They are showing us all clear examples of just how helpless the government can be when it comes to maintaining order, if the people don't want order. If the entire country were to riot or revolt, the police forces and militaries would crumble..... as this clearly shows it's been three days and still no rest..... the police do not have control, much like when they didn't have control a couple years back.

When citizens unite, it is very difficult for oppression to maintain order.

[Dieval]

Quote by: Praxius And the US are under-reactionaries, it balances out.

Yet another unwarranted/unrelated jab a the US...go figure...

Quote by: Praxius They are showing us all clear examples of just how helpless the government can be when it comes to maintaining order, if the people don't want order. If the entire country were to riot or revolt, the police forces and militaries would crumble..... as this clearly shows it's been three days and still no rest..... the police do not have control, much like when they didn't have control a couple years back. When citizens unite, it is very difficult for oppression to maintain order.

It would be very easy for the police to come in, guns blazing and restore order, but they don't. Why you ask? Because France isn't a brutal, tyranical dictatorship, such as Saddam was in Iraq.

[Praxius]

Quote by: Dieval Yet another unwarranted/unrelated jab a the US...go figure...

You just jabbed France in the same manner, learn what hypocracy is why don't you.

It would be very easy for the police to come in, guns blazing and restore order, but they don't. Why you ask? Because France isn't a brutal, tyranical dictatorship, such as Saddam was in Iraq.

Who mentioned anything about Iraq?

[Dieval]

Quote by: Praxius You just jabbed France in the same manner, learn what hypocracy is why don't you.

Oh? Care to point out where I "just jabbed France"?

Quote by: Praxius Who mentioned anything about Iraq?

I did. It would be very easy to stop the violence in France, Saddam style(kill them all), but I was pointing out that France isn't like Iraq was under Saddam. (That was for all those here that thought the people of Iraq should have just risen up and overthrown Saddam if they didn't like his rule..he didn't allow anyone to "rise up"...he just had them killed outright.)

[Apollo]

If I may, it was Suburbanite who first began the jabbing, Praxius.

and on a second note;

Quote by: Praxius When citizens unite, it is very difficult for oppression to maintain order.

The above statement is true, except for when the government orders martial law and the mass arrests start, then protesters start dying, and the whole thing goes to hell in a handbag. Look at the plans in place for the US and Canada for martial law in case of mass 'civil disobedience.'

Quote by: Dieval Oh? Care to point out where I "just jabbed France"? I did. It would be very easy to stop the violence in France, Saddam style(kill them all), but I was pointing out that France isn't like Iraq was under Saddam. (That was for all those here that thought the people of Iraq should have just risen up and overthrown Saddam if they didn't like his rule..he didn't allow anyone to "rise up"...he just had them killed outright.)

As did the British if I remember correctly, however even with the threat of death we (they?) still managed to break free from British rule and kick the King's ass from across the Atlantic. Perhaps when you get thousands of people rioting in your city, you should understand why they're rioting and fix the underlying problem instead of writing it off as senseless violence.

[Praxius]

Quote by: Dieval Oh? Care to point out where I "just jabbed France"?

My mistake, allow me to clarify then... the previous post was where the comment was made, and I responded acordingly, you jumped in from wherever and claim I made some unwarrented claim against the US, when I just equally directed the same mentality to the person who posted their view, hince warrented.

You know I'm getting really sick of all this nit picking around stupid things that have nothing to do with the topic at hand.... care to show some interest in something that actually relates for once, or is this just some hobby of yours?