Fears of violence in France after officers acquitted

A French court has acquitted two police officers accused of contributing to the deaths of two teenagers in a blighted Paris suburb a decade ago that prompted weeks of riots across the country.

The verdict raised fears of a new wave of mistrust, anger and violent protests similar to those seen recently in the US.

The court in Rennes ruled officers Sebastien Gaillemin and Stephanie Klein were not responsible when two teenage boys chased by police entered a power substation to hide and were electrocuted in October 2005. A third boy survived the powerful 20,000-volt electric shock with severe burns.