Chirac vows to restore order amid fresh riots

Anthony Butcher · 07-11-2005, 03:01 AM

Quote:

Jacques Chirac pledged to restore "security and public order" last night as rioting broke out in France for the 11th consecutive night.

The disturbances, which began in Paris's rundown suburbs on October 27, have spread to the heart of the capital and across the country.

Last night about 30 police were reported injured by buckshot in Grigny, south of Paris. Youths seized a bus in Saint-Etienne and set it alight. In Rouen a burning car was pushed against a police station while cars were burned in Nantes, Rennes and Orleans.

Mr Chirac, speaking after an emergency security meeting at the Elysée Palace, said: "The last word must go to the law." He warned the rioters that they would be brought to justice, but also sought to show understanding for the plight of youth in poor suburban areas.

"We understand well also that the way things are evolving requires the respect of everyone, of justice and equal opportunities," he said.

Mr Chirac had been criticised by the Left but also from within his own camp for keeping a low profile since the beginning of the unrest.

Dominique de Villepin, the prime minister, pledged to beef up security forces "all over the [French] territory wherever necessary".

"We cannot accept any lawless zones. Violence is not the solution," he said. But extending a carrot to the rioters, he promised to outline new measures tonight to help promote equal opportunities.

The last time Mr Chirac called an impromptu interior security council meeting was following the July 7 bombings in London.

Arsonists attacked 1,300 cars on Saturday night, the worst destruction of property since the rioting began and for the first time trouble erupted in the heart of Paris.

The search for troublemakers was stepped up with an extra 2,300 police officers drafted in across the country. Six youths, all aged under 18, were arrested in a raid on a building in Evry, south of Paris, during which more than 100 bottles, gallons of fuel and hoods for covering rioters' faces were also found.

Copycat arson attacks spread around France with no region being spared.

Nicolas Sarkozy, the interior minister, met police chiefs and teachers from troubled districts. The rioters have accused him of declaring war on suburban youth.

The Foreign Office has warned British tourists to be "extremely vigilant and to avoid any demonstrations" if they have to visit any of the affected areas.

mkpdavies · 07-11-2005, 03:31 AM

This must be costing France a fortune, at a time it really doesn't need the agro.

The elections are going to be very interesting. I fear extreme solutions may be sort.

Britannist · 07-11-2005, 06:19 AM

This is causing tremendous damage to the tourist industry in France (more of the French economy relies on tourism than does the UK economy). The economic damage is the last thing they need - they already have high unemployment and higher prices because of the euro :evil: .

These pictures of burnt cars and rioting are being sent around the world and being seen by billions on television. It will cause many around the world to drop Paris and/or the south of France from their holiday plans and opt for somewhere else :shock: .

The scenes of Paris on television look like Northern Ireland before the Good Friday Agreement.

I heard P. J. O'Rourke (American writer) being interviewed on television - he said there are some people in the USA who are privately gloating at the urban violence in France over the last eleven days.

His exact words (on Sky News at 11.20 am yesterday) were "It's hard not to gloat. During the Iraq war we heard a lot about France's sophisticated approach to Muslims (France refused to help invade Muslim Iraq in March 2003). Now we see Muslims causing riots near the centre of Paris where all the politicians and Government ministers live."

Alex McKee · 07-11-2005, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Britannist

I heard P. J. O'Rourke (American writer) being interviewed on television - he said there are some people in the USA who are privately gloating at the urban violence in France over the last eleven days.

His exact words (on Sky News at 11.20 am yesterday) were "It's hard not to gloat. During the Iraq war we heard a lot about France's sophisticated approach to Muslims (France refused to help invade Muslim Iraq in March 2003). Now we see Muslims causing riots near the centre of Paris where all the politicians and Government ministers live."

Sorry but that is disgusting, gloating at others misfortune.

smooveOp · 07-11-2005, 04:52 PM

This is actually very close to home and, following the recent riots in Birmingham, may be a taste of what's in store for us too.

I cannot suggest an answer to this problem.

The answers suggested elsewhere i.e. the French backing down and allowing Muslims more 'room' to express their differences will actually make the situation in France worse than it already is.

For now, law and order must be restored before the French people themselves, always fairly excitable, take the law INTO phpbb_their own hands. We would then be staring INTO phpbb_the abyss of civil war - The "Clash of Civilisations" that we've heard so much about on this forum.

All very depressing.

jp · 07-11-2005, 10:13 PM

The Tehran Times has the answer:

Quote:

Also, since these poor French Blacks are mainly Muslims, the Islamic Republic of Iran and other Muslim countries should observe their religious and humanitarian duties and form a committee to investigate the condition of these Muslims.

This committee should promptly investigate both the death of the two Black youngsters in France and the living conditions of Muslims in France and prepare a report to be submitted to the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) and the Islamic Human Rights Committee.

If the French government rejects the Islamic countries’ proposal, it should be boycotted by all Muslim states to force it to moderate its behavior toward French Muslims.

France is in such a critical situation that the expansion of the demonstrations could even lead to the collapse of France and its division INTO phpbb_Muslim and Christian sections.

http://www.tehrantimes.com/Descripti...Cat=14&Num=001

smooveOp · 07-11-2005, 11:08 PM

...and may I remind you ladies and gentlemen that we are discussing "good old France here" which stayed out of the recent war in Iraq to demonstrate that it was not anti-muslim.

Well first Spain and now France is paying the price of weakness.

It was actually a member of the Labour party (and a woman too) who said, "They aready hate us so they might as well fear us".

She was quite right.

France must now restore law and order by whatever means and in the shortest possible time. If it takes draconian intervention by the Army then so be it. All of Europe is watching this unfolding tragedy and we are all wondering which country will be affected next by this cancer.

morlock · 08-11-2005, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smooveOp

...and may I remind you ladies and gentlemen that we are discussing "good old France here" which stayed out of the recent war in Iraq to demonstrate that it was not anti-muslim.

Well first Spain and now France is paying the price of weakness.

It was actually a member of the Labour party (and a woman too) who said, "They aready hate us so they might as well fear us".

She was quite right.

France must now restore law and order by whatever means and in the shortest possible time. If it takes draconian intervention by the Army then so be it. All of Europe is watching this unfolding tragedy and we are all wondering which country will be affected next by this cancer.

And if they manage to quell this latest outbreak of rioting, what then? Unless the root cause is dealt with the symptoms will continue. Cowardice, guilt and political correctness are not going to solve the problem.

morlock · 08-11-2005, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smooveOp

I cannot suggest an answer to this problem.(

Some people can – but it would probably be censored on this thread!

smooveOp · 08-11-2005, 12:05 PM

I'm sure that most people have some answers which probably range from making concessions through to the expulsion of large numbers of immigrants.

Just a hunch here Morlock but I imagine that your views would be closer to the later end of that range.

Well - we cannot hide from this. The genie is well and truely out of the bottle now and I don't think that we can squeeze it back in, anywhere in Europe.

So what can possibly be done in general terms to improve matters? Chiric & de Villepan clearly want a situation where a) nothing will change and b) the rioting will stop. It sounds fairly unrealistic and nothing would be solved over the long term.

Sarkozy has a different approach. Crack down hard on the troublemakers but recognise that there are indeed problems festering in the suburbs.

The National Front view is not as widely discussed in our media although the BBC did briefly show the obnoxious Le Pen last night on the 10 o'clock news.

Even now, I cannot see a majority in favour of repatriation. Don't forget also that many of the rioters are second and even third generation immigrants. The fact that that haven't assimilated doesn't make them citizens of any other country.

Can anyone here solve this difficult problem?

07-11-2005, 03:31 AM	#2 (permalink)
mkpdavies Uber Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Woking Posts: 30,837 Party: Libertarian Party	This must be costing France a fortune, at a time it really doesn't need the agro. The elections are going to be very interesting. I fear extreme solutions may be sort. __________________ http://brits4ronpaul.blogspot.com/ http://wokinglibertarians.blogspot.com/ http://lpuk.org My ignore list Labour, Blue Labour, Lib Dems

07-11-2005, 06:19 AM	#3 (permalink)
Britannist Uber Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: London Posts: 22,896	Damage to French tourist industry This is causing tremendous damage to the tourist industry in France (more of the French economy relies on tourism than does the UK economy). The economic damage is the last thing they need - they already have high unemployment and higher prices because of the euro :evil: . These pictures of burnt cars and rioting are being sent around the world and being seen by billions on television. It will cause many around the world to drop Paris and/or the south of France from their holiday plans and opt for somewhere else :shock: . The scenes of Paris on television look like Northern Ireland before the Good Friday Agreement. I heard P. J. O'Rourke (American writer) being interviewed on television - he said there are some people in the USA who are privately gloating at the urban violence in France over the last eleven days. His exact words (on Sky News at 11.20 am yesterday) were "It's hard not to gloat. During the Iraq war we heard a lot about France's sophisticated approach to Muslims (France refused to help invade Muslim Iraq in March 2003). Now we see Muslims causing riots near the centre of Paris where all the politicians and Government ministers live."

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07-11-2005, 04:52 PM	#5 (permalink)
smooveOp Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Middlesex Posts: 571	This is actually very close to home and, following the recent riots in Birmingham, may be a taste of what's in store for us too. I cannot suggest an answer to this problem. The answers suggested elsewhere i.e. the French backing down and allowing Muslims more 'room' to express their differences will actually make the situation in France worse than it already is. For now, law and order must be restored before the French people themselves, always fairly excitable, take the law INTO phpbb_their own hands. We would then be staring INTO phpbb_the abyss of civil war - The "Clash of Civilisations" that we've heard so much about on this forum. All very depressing.

07-11-2005, 11:08 PM	#7 (permalink)
smooveOp Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Middlesex Posts: 571	...and may I remind you ladies and gentlemen that we are discussing "good old France here" which stayed out of the recent war in Iraq to demonstrate that it was not anti-muslim. Well first Spain and now France is paying the price of weakness. It was actually a member of the Labour party (and a woman too) who said, "They aready hate us so they might as well fear us". She was quite right. France must now restore law and order by whatever means and in the shortest possible time. If it takes draconian intervention by the Army then so be it. All of Europe is watching this unfolding tragedy and we are all wondering which country will be affected next by this cancer.

08-11-2005, 12:05 PM	#10 (permalink)
smooveOp Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Middlesex Posts: 571	I'm sure that most people have some answers which probably range from making concessions through to the expulsion of large numbers of immigrants. Just a hunch here Morlock but I imagine that your views would be closer to the later end of that range. Well - we cannot hide from this. The genie is well and truely out of the bottle now and I don't think that we can squeeze it back in, anywhere in Europe. So what can possibly be done in general terms to improve matters? Chiric & de Villepan clearly want a situation where a) nothing will change and b) the rioting will stop. It sounds fairly unrealistic and nothing would be solved over the long term. Sarkozy has a different approach. Crack down hard on the troublemakers but recognise that there are indeed problems festering in the suburbs. The National Front view is not as widely discussed in our media although the BBC did briefly show the obnoxious Le Pen last night on the 10 o'clock news. Even now, I cannot see a majority in favour of repatriation. Don't forget also that many of the rioters are second and even third generation immigrants. The fact that that haven't assimilated doesn't make them citizens of any other country. Can anyone here solve this difficult problem?