| Topic: |
Politics > Politics-USA |
| User: |
"Charles Farley" |
| Date: |
01 Nov 2005 11:44:49 PM |
| Object: |
Muslims Riot in Paris for 6th Straight Night |
Associated Press
November 1, 2005
By Elaine Ganley
Sixth Night of Violence Erupts Near Paris
PARIS -- Unrest spread across troubled suburbs around Paris in a sixth
night of violence Tuesday as police clashed with angry youths and
scores of vehicles were torched in at least nine towns, local officials
said.
Police in riot gear fired rubber bullets at advancing mobs of youths in
Aulnay-sous-Bois - one of the worst-hit suburbs - where 15 cars
were burned, said the prefecture that runs the Seine-Saint-Denis
region. Youths lobbed Molotov cocktails at an annex to the town hall
and threw stones at the firehouse. It was not immediately clear whether
there were injuries from the clashes.
Four people were arrested for throwing stones at police in nearby Bondy
where 14 cars were burned, the prefecture said, and a fire engulfed a
carpet store.
Officials gave an initial count of 69 vehicles torched in nine suburbs
across the Seine-Saint-Denis region that arcs Paris on the north and
northeast.
The area, home mainly to families of immigrant origin, often from
Muslim North Africa, is marked by soaring unemployment and delinquency.
Anger and despair thrive in the tall cinder-block towers and long
"bars" that typically make up housing projects in France.
No trouble was immediately reported in Clichy-sous-Bois, where rioting
began Thursday following the accidental deaths of two teenagers hiding
to escape police in a power substation.
An Associated Press Television news team witnessed confrontations
between about 20 police and 40 youths in Aulnay-sous-Bois with police
firing tear gas and rubber bullets.
Officials said that "small, very mobile gangs" were harassing police
and setting fires to garbage cans and vehicles throughout the region.
France-Info radio said some 150 blazes were reported in garbage bins,
cars and buildings across Seine-Saint-Denis.
Tension had mounted throughout Tuesday after young men torched cars,
garbage bins and even a primary school 24 hours earlier. Scores of cars
were reported burned Monday night in Clichy-sous-Bois and 13 people
were jailed.
Youths set two rooms of a primary school in Sevran on fire Monday along
with several cars, Mayor Stephane Gatignon said in a statement.
Unrest was triggered by the deaths of two teenagers electrocuted in a
power substation where they hid to escape police. A third was injured.
Officials have said police were not pursuing the boys, aged 15 and 17.
Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin met Tuesday with the parents of
the three families, promising a full investigation of the deaths and
insisting on "the need to restore calm," the prime minister's office
said.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051102/ap_on_re_eu/france_rioting
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