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Strikes rock France as PM urges 'harsh' treatment for rioters
 [Al Ahram] La Belle France was disrupted by a third straight day of strikes and demonstrations on Thursday as the prime minister called for protesters who torched a police car to face "harsh" punishment.Rail staff and air traffic controllers downed tools in the latest mass protests against the government's labour market reforms, causing dozens of flights and trains to be cancelled. Prime Minister Manuel Valls threatened to use force to break up protests which interfered with the operation of ports, refineries and airports. But he reserved his strongest words for those who attacked a police car in Gay Paree on Wednesday on the sidelines of a rare rally by coppers protesting against "anti-cop hatred". With a policeman and a policewoman still inside the car, a small group of masked protesters hammered the car with iron bars before hurling in an bomb, causing it to burst into flames. The two officers managed to escape unharmed. Valls said: "The punishment must be harsh. The inquiry has just started, arrests have been made." Four suspects were tossed in the calaboose Keep yer hands where we can see 'em, if yez please! on Wednesday and a fifth was picked up Thursday, sources close to the investigation said. Posted by: Fred 2016-05-20 |
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