Via the NYT: Immigrant Rioting Flares in France for Ninth Night:
France’s worst urban violence in a decade exploded for a ninth night on Friday as bands of youths roamed the immigrant-heavy, working-class suburbs of Paris, setting fire to dozens of cars and buildings while the government struggled over the violence and the underlying frustrations fueling it.The unrest, which has also spread to other parts of France with large North African and Arab populations, prompted the American and Russian governments to warn citizens visiting Paris to avoid its poor, outlying neighborhoods. France reduced train service to Charles de Gaulle Airport after two trains became targets of rioters earlier in the week.
What’s the obsession with burning cars?
And this is horrific:
A handicapped woman riding a bus in the Sevran suburb suffered burns over 20 percent of her body Thursday night after two youths doused the inside of the bus with a flammable liquid and set it on fire.
And huh?!?:
“We see among the rioters kids of 13 to 15, who are swept along, who are encouraged to take all the risks, and the others, the ringleaders, who are used to creating trouble - they terrorize everyone, and don’t want to stop,” said Franck Cannarozzo, a deputy mayor of Aulnay.“Rather than playing on their Playstations, they attack the police.”
Yes, that must be it. They’ve conquered the latest video games, so in their boredom they have decided to torch cars and attack the police. I get it now.
Stopping the Riots Might Be The Easy Part
If the Obin report is even one-half accurate, France faces a crisis of governance that, unless addressed, could eventually tear France apart. The post draws from an article written by Olivier Guitta that can be found here and Alex Alexiev
Trackback by Weapons of Mass Destruction — Saturday, November 5, 2024 @ 11:22 am
See too this piece by the Washington Times:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/world/20051103-120659-6090r.htm
This quote goes right along with the video game reference in your post:
“We have found our thrills: playing with riot police in the evening,” one 22-year-old told an Agence France-Presse reporter yesterday. “As long as the police come and provoke us in the evening, we’ll bring out the Molotov cocktails, stones, petanque balls, planks.”
“In the day, we sleep, go see our girlfriends, play video games,” the young man continued as a half-dozen youths nodded. “And in the evening, we have a good time: At 9 p.m., we go and fight the police.”
Comment by Mad Minerva — Saturday, November 5, 2024 @ 3:14 pm
Isn’t that the next step after video games, anyway? Some of those Playstation games are just virtual training for violent crime. Get these kids outside in the fresh air, and reading some good books. What a shame, that this is all kids seem to have to do in their free time. Where are their parents!?! Helllooo!!!
Comment by Lori — Saturday, November 5, 2024 @ 7:28 pm