Post by kurohata on Nov 28, 2007 12:25:36 GMT 10
Apologies for the poor source.
From: www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/11/28/2103096.htm
Extra cops called in amid French riots
Police have stepped up security in northern Paris suburbs to prevent a third night of unrest, after French Prime Minister Francois Fillon vowed a firm line against rioters who attacked police.
Police vans, their sirens blaring and lights flashing, headed towards the northern Paris suburb of Villiers-le-Bel on Tuesday evening (early this morning AEDT) as the security build-up got underway, a Reuters witness said.
Around 80 police were injured on Monday night (local time) as rioters hurled stones, petrol bombs and firecrackers at police during several hours of skirmishes that left dozens of shops, businesses and public buildings damaged.
Police replied with tear gas and rubber bullets and made five arrests.
"We're going to do everything so that this evening there is a maximum security presence in Villiers-le-Bel and the neighbouring areas, because the residents should not have to relive another night of violence," Mr Fillon told Parliament.
The clashes were "unacceptable, intolerable, incomprehensible" and could not be justified, he said.
"Those who fire on the police and who beat a police officer nearly to death, are criminals and must be treated like criminals," said Mr Fillon.
Five police officers were seriously hurt overnight, including one hit by a projectile apparently fired from a hunting rifle.
President Nicolas Sarkozy will meet Mr Fillon and his interior and justice ministers to discuss the crisis, his spokesman said in a statement. He will first visit injured police officers in hospital.
The violence started on Sunday after two youths died in a collision with police, and pictures of burnt out cars, a school and a library revived images of suburban riots two years ago.
Those disturbances were the worst civil unrest in France for 40 years and many blamed the harsh rhetoric of Mr Sarkozy, who was interior minister at the time, for stoking the violence.
This time, Mr Sarkozy has called for calm and the lower key government response suggested it wants to avoid exacerbating tensions in France's deprived, ethnically diverse suburbs.
- Reuters
From: www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/11/28/2103096.htm
Extra cops called in amid French riots
Police have stepped up security in northern Paris suburbs to prevent a third night of unrest, after French Prime Minister Francois Fillon vowed a firm line against rioters who attacked police.
Police vans, their sirens blaring and lights flashing, headed towards the northern Paris suburb of Villiers-le-Bel on Tuesday evening (early this morning AEDT) as the security build-up got underway, a Reuters witness said.
Around 80 police were injured on Monday night (local time) as rioters hurled stones, petrol bombs and firecrackers at police during several hours of skirmishes that left dozens of shops, businesses and public buildings damaged.
Police replied with tear gas and rubber bullets and made five arrests.
"We're going to do everything so that this evening there is a maximum security presence in Villiers-le-Bel and the neighbouring areas, because the residents should not have to relive another night of violence," Mr Fillon told Parliament.
The clashes were "unacceptable, intolerable, incomprehensible" and could not be justified, he said.
"Those who fire on the police and who beat a police officer nearly to death, are criminals and must be treated like criminals," said Mr Fillon.
Five police officers were seriously hurt overnight, including one hit by a projectile apparently fired from a hunting rifle.
President Nicolas Sarkozy will meet Mr Fillon and his interior and justice ministers to discuss the crisis, his spokesman said in a statement. He will first visit injured police officers in hospital.
The violence started on Sunday after two youths died in a collision with police, and pictures of burnt out cars, a school and a library revived images of suburban riots two years ago.
Those disturbances were the worst civil unrest in France for 40 years and many blamed the harsh rhetoric of Mr Sarkozy, who was interior minister at the time, for stoking the violence.
This time, Mr Sarkozy has called for calm and the lower key government response suggested it wants to avoid exacerbating tensions in France's deprived, ethnically diverse suburbs.
- Reuters
