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November 4, 2005

France: Muslim Protests Spread Beyond Paris

Last night the riots in Paris suburbs continued for an eighth night, and a new set of disturbances have erupted in the city of Dijon in the central-eastern part of the country, states the BBC. In Dijon, famous for its mustard production, cars were set alight, and the BBC states that sporadic unrest was reported in Marseilles in the south and also in western France at Rouen.

Prime Minister Dominique Villepin has pledged to restore order, though his differences with Nicolas Sarkozy, the Interior Minister have become pronounced over the past three days. Both are hoping to stand for the post of elected President soon.

1300 police were deployed in the Seine-St Denis Departement, with the heaviest unrest happening now in Aulnay-Sous-Bois. Gangs of young men with bricks and sticks have been patrolling the streets between the grim housing complexes of the outer suburbs.

400 cars have been set alight, riot police have again been shot at, with five wounded, though not seriously, police say. Near a synagogue in Stains, police are targetted and a primary school is set on fire, and a carpet warehouse is torched in Aulnay-Sous-Bois (pictured). Another warehouse is set ablaze in the Le Blanc Mesnil. In a bus depot at Trappes, in Yvelines, 27 buses are torched.

Muslim leaders have urged politicians to show respect for immigrant communities.

Dalil Boubakeur, the head of the French Council for the Muslim Religion, said people in the suburbs "must be given the conditions to live with dignity as human beings", not in "disgraceful squats".

The Telegraph described boys as young as ten taking part in throwing stones and petrol bombs at police in the events of Wednesday/Thursday's rioting. Nine people were injured, and a fireman suffered second degree burns when a petrol bomb was thrown in his face.Two car showrooms, two schools and a sports hall were also set ablaze in that night of anarchy, with a plice station, a fire station, a council affice, shopping center and train station all attacked by rampaging youth.

The Right-wing government's failure to resolve the problem has been partly blamed on animosity between Mr de Villepin and Nicolas Sarkozy, the interior minister and his rival to succeed President Jacques Chirac.

Both have been accused by fellow party members of putting personal ambition before national interests, and hampering policy decisions.

Two police unions indirectly condemned the political jockeying by denouncing "all attempts to gain [political capital]" from the unrest.

The riots are gaining a momentum of their own it seems. The claims that the riots are being planned, as stated by Sarkozy, may be true. Or maybe the incidents in Paris have triggered a wave of opportunism. Perhaps the army needs to be called in. Maybe a curfew. Hard events call for hard measures. Talking with Muslim leaders to ascertain a "peace deal" is futile at present. Action is needed. Swift, decisive, and uncompromising.

Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at November 4, 2005 6:23 AM

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