France Riot Watch: 13 Cars Torched As Unrest Reaches Paris

A firefighter extinguishes a car in ‘Les Musicians’ housing complex of Les Mureaux, north west of Paris, Saturday, Nov. 5, 2005 on the tenth day of unrest. Vehicles and buildings were torched by youths in largely immigrant areas who began rampaging after two of their peers were electrocuted last week at a power substation while hiding from police they feared were chasing them.

The ASSociated Press has 13 Cars Torched As Unrest Reaches Paris

The urban unrest that triggered scores of arson attacks on vehicles, nursery schools and other targets across France reached the capital overnight, with police saying early Sunday that 13 cars were burned.

By 1 a.m., at least 607 vehicles were burned — including those in Paris, said Patrick Hamon, spokesman for the national police. The overall figures were expected to climb by daybreak, he added.

The violence — originally concentrated in neighborhoods northeast of Paris with large immigrant populations — has spread across France during the past 10 nights, extending west to the rolling fields of Normandy and south to resort cities on the Mediterranean.

In the Normandy town of Evreux, arsonists burned at least 50 vehicles, part of a shopping center, a post office and two schools, Hamon said.

Five police officers and three firefighters were injured battling the blazes, he said.

The unrest is forcing France to confront long-simmering anger in its suburbs, where many Africans and their French-born children live on society’s margins, struggling with unemployment, poor housing, racial discrimination, crime and a lack of opportunity.

The violence that began Oct. 27 in a suburb northeast of Paris took an alarming turn late Saturday when arsonists struck in the French capital.

So, is Chirac going to allow these criminals to burn his country down?