The massive police presence in France against night-time riots seems to be having an effect. Violence is slowly ebbing, although there has been rioting for the sixth straight night.
Despite a sixth night of unrest in France following the death of a youth in a police check, the violence appears to be abating. Nationwide there were 157 arrests on Monday night. That was significantly less than in the previous nights, as announced by the Interior Ministry in Paris. Three police officers were injured. According to the newspaper “Le Parisien”, 297 cars burned out and 34 buildings were set on fire.
Judging by the violent unrest of the past few days, with hundreds of burning cars and buildings and sometimes more than 1000 arrests during the night, it was relatively quiet on Monday night. Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin had once again relied on a massive police presence. 45,000 police officers were deployed across the country, some with armored vehicles. “The harshness has had an effect,” said the minister on Monday.
Since the death of 17-year-old Nahel by a police bullet during a traffic check last Tuesday, France has been shaken by massive riots, especially at night. There were repeated looting, arson attacks and violent confrontations between police officers and rioters. More than 3,000 people have been arrested across the country since the riots began.
need time to think
As a sign of solidarity and protest against the attack by rioters on the private home of a mayor, rallies were held in front of city halls in a number of French cities on Monday. “You have to take some time to think, try to talk to the neighborhoods and crack down on the rioters,” said Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin. “You can’t see a social excuse where there isn’t one.” In the cities affected by the riots, damaged town halls and schools as well as video surveillance should be repaired quickly. The state provides millions for this.
The mayor of the Paris suburb of Corbeil-Essonnes, Bruno Pirot, meanwhile emphasized that young people from the problem areas were disadvantaged in school and at work. The riots were concentrated in districts where problems were already piling up and the residents there were being punished twice. “It’s not about apologizing, it’s about understanding the deep uneasiness of these young people and the uneasiness of these young people when they look at their parents,” the mayor told France Info. Subsidies for the development of the quarters flowed into the demolition of blocks of flats instead of into social projects.
The tourism sector in France fears losses due to the riots. In the meantime, some tourists and guests from abroad have canceled their trips, the Umih hoteliers’ association reported, as reported by the newspaper “Le Parisien”. The hope in the middle of the tourism season is that the unrest will subside quickly.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
