|
French Police Shot - Fear Use of Heavy Weapons
Police officers, exhausted and dispirited after 11 nights of street battles, say their mainly young African and Arab adversaries have access to sophisticated weapons including grenades and could soon begin using them. A dozen officers were injured, two of them seriously, after being shot with hunting rifles fitted with lead pellets during rioting last night in the suburb of Grigny, south of Paris, police said. Jean-Christophe Carne, president of a police trade union, told The Washington Times before last night's outbreak that police officers were increasingly pessimistic that civic order would be restored anytime soon. "Most of these kids are being coached by professional petty criminals and gang leaders in the suburbs," said Mr. Carne, president of Action Police CFTC. "In the past, when we have cracked down on these criminals in their homes, we found drugs, grenades and heavy weapons such as guns. While they haven't started using these arms yet, there's also no reason to think they wouldn't." From the BBC story: About 30 policemen have been injured by shots and stones in a Paris suburb - on an 11th night of unrest across France.They were attacked by some 200 rioters in Grigny, south of Paris. Two policemen were seriously injured.The incident came hours after President Jacques Chirac said that restoring order was an "absolute priority". Hundreds of cars were set on fire in different towns on Sunday night, and police had to use tear gas to disperse a club-wielding mob in Toulouse. Rioters have burnt nearly 4,000 cars and more than 300 arrests have been made since the unrest began, gripping mostly African and Arab communities.The violence was triggered by the deaths of two youths in the rundown Paris suburb of Clichy-sous-Bois, who were accidentally electrocuted at an electricity sub-station after reportedly fleeing police. Accidentally? They did it themselves... Targeting police The two police officers were injured by gunfire in what police described as an "ambush" in Grigny late on Sunday. There are similar scenes across French cities They were reportedly taken to hospital with wounds to the leg and throat.Police chiefs said their men were being deliberately confronted by gangs apparently intent on fighting them. "They really shot at officers. this is real serious violence - not like the previous nights. I'm very worried because this is mounting," senior police officer in the area, Bernard Franio, said. Quelle Surprise! In the southern city of Toulouse, police fired tear gas grenades to push back rioters.Violent attacks were also reported in Orleans, Rennes and Nantes. 'Determined' "The law must have the last word," Mr Chirac told reporters in his first public address on the violence on Sunday. What law? Shariah? Mr Chirac's comments were his first public address on the unrest "The Republic is quite determined... to be stronger than those who want to sow violence or fear." Then you'd better send in La Legion Etrangere... Mr Chirac promised arrest, trials and punishment for perpetrators.But he also noted that "respect for all, justice and equal opportunity," were needed to end the unrest.Mr Chirac has faced criticism from opposition politicians for not speaking publicly about the unrest since it began on 27 October. His only previous comments came through a spokesman. He couldn't say it in person? Sunday's remarks came after talks with key ministers including Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin and Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy, at the presidential palace in Paris. It would appear that it is time to reinstitute "La Fenetre Republicaine," Madame Guillotine. Posted by: Cluns Cruse3132 2005-11-07 |
|
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=134279 |