France: Riots abate as curfews bite

Nice and Cannes on the French Riviera, best known for glitz and film festivals, were among towns that imposed curfews for minors even as rioting appeared to be abating nationwide.

The government toughened its stance yesterday against those involved in France’s worst civil unrest since its 1968 student riots. Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy said local authorities have been told to deport foreigners convicted so far for their roles.

The violence started on October 27 among youths in the north-eastern Paris suburb of Seine-Saint-Denis angry over the accidental deaths of two teenagers, but grew into a nationwide insurrection of arson and clashes with police.

Arson attacks continued last night in some places as the violence stretched into a 14th night.

Vandals set 11 cars ablaze and rammed a burning car into a primary school in the southern city of Toulouse, damaging its entrance, according to the national police said. Another school was set on fire in the eastern city of Belfort.

Vandalism at two power stations caused blackouts in parts of Lyon, France’s second largest city, police said.

However the number of attacks continued to fall, 340 cars had been set on fire across the country overnight last night – down from more than 600 the night before – and 155 people were detained for questioning, police said.

A 12-day state of emergency went into effect yesterday. For much of France - including the city of Paris – it had no perceptible effect.

That such extraordinary measures were needed, however, has fuelled national introspection about France’s failure to integrate its African and Muslim minorities – seen as a key reason behind the rioting. Rioters included the French-born children of immigrants from France’s former colonies.

The emergency decree paved the way for possible curfews in Paris, its suburbs and more than 30 other cities and towns nationwide if officials feel they are needed. By yesterday evening, only a few municipalities and regions imposed them; Paris had not.

In Nice, Cannes and 19 other towns in the Riviera region known as Alpes-Maritimes, including the resort of Antibes, minors were forbidden from being outdoors between 10pm and 5am without adult supervision. Certain bars in Nice and another town were ordered closed during those hours for 10 days.

There have been no direct clashes between youths and police in the Riviera but unrest that started in the area on Friday last week had persisted in some towns for four nights.

Arsonists set fire to a warehouse used by Nice-Matin newspaper in the town of Grasse, national police spokesman Patrick Reydy said. A total of 161 cars have been burned – about half in the Nice area – and nine buildings damaged across the Riviera region.

Sarkozy, who previously inflamed passions by referring to suburban troublemakers as “scum,” said 120 foreigners have been convicted in connection with the violence. He ordered local authorities to expel them.

Far-right leader Jean-Marie Le Pen said French nationals of immigrant backgrounds should be stripped of their French citizenship and sent “back to their country of origin” if they committed crimes.