Ten officers injured as riots continue in France
07/11/2005 - 07:02:30
Ten police officers were injured by lead pellets in a clash with
250-300 youths in France overnight as rioting continued, but only two
were taken to hospital with more serious injuries - to the neck and
legs.
At least 764 vehicles were burned overnight, while police made 173
arrests, national police spokesman Patrick Hamon's office said early
today.
The situation appeared calm in Paris, where violence had broken out the
previous night, local authority said.
Interior minister Sarkozy said he planned to visit the two police
officers in hospital, whose lives were not in danger. It was unclear
whether they were shot with hunting rifles or a less lethal weapon, the
interior ministry spokesman said. One was wounded in the neck, the
other in the legs.
Sarkozy said police must return law and order to France, or gangs and
extremists would fill the void.
Police later said youths had fired at officers with fine-grain
birdshot.
Nearly 1,000 people have been arrested since the violence broke out.
The violence has prompted deep soul-searching about how to ease fear,
anger and frustration among troubled youths in the grim public housing
estates on the outskirts of French cities, where many residents are
minorities.
Educationists have met the French prime minister to think of ways to
help.
"These are young people who are generally resigned, they face
discrimination everywhere, for housing and work, and their malaise gets
expressed in violence," said Ahmed Touabi, principal of a primary
school in the Paris suburb of Argenteuil.
The troublemakers "feel rejected by France, and they want to spit on
France".
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