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Europe
French intifada hits fresh peak
2005-11-07
A night of rioting in France has left 1,408 vehicles burnt out and resulted in 395 arrests - the highest tolls yet in 11 nights of unrest. Ten policemen were injured by shots and stones when they confronted 200 rioters in the Paris suburb of Grigny, with two policemen seriously hurt.

President Jacques Chirac has said restoring order is his top priority.
Sure, now he tells us.
Meanwhile a man who fell into a coma after being beaten last week is thought to be the first fatality of the unrest. Jean-Jacques Le Chenadec, 61, was reportedly struck by a hooded man in the street after he and a neighbour went to inspect damage to bins near their apartment block in the town of Stains, in the Seine-Saint-Denis region outside Paris.

Muslim leaders of African and Arab communities have also issued a fatwa, or religious order, against the riots. "It is strictly forbidden for any Muslim... to take part in any action that strikes blindly at private or public property or that could threaten the lives of others," the fatwa by the Union of Islamic Organisations in France said.
That's working well, isn't it.
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.
Wouldn't things be a little better if the French had some club-wielding police?
Mr Sarkozy's oft-cited description of urban vandals as "rabble" (racaille) a few days before the riots began is said by many to have fuelled tensions. Despite the controversy over Mr Sarkozy's remarks, a CSA opinion poll published in Le Parisien at the weekend showed him with a nationwide approval rating of 57%.

Police under attack

The two police officers were injured by gunfire in what police described as an "ambush" in Grigny late on Sunday. They were 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, said local police commander Bernard Franio. "This is real, serious violence - not like the previous nights. I'm very worried because this is mounting."

In the southern city of Toulouse, police fired tear gas grenades to push back rioters and violent attacks were also reported in Marseille, Saint-Etienne and Lille.

Of the 1,408 vehicles burnt, 982 were attacked outside the Paris region as the "shock wave" from the Paris region reached the provinces, in the words of national police chief Michel Gaudin.

"The law must have the last word," Mr Chirac told reporters in his first public address on the violence on Sunday. He promised arrest, trials and punishment for perpetrators but added that "respect for all, justice and equal opportunity," were needed to end the unrest.

Mr Chirac had faced criticism from opposition politicians for not speaking publicly about the unrest since it began on 27 October.
Posted by:tipper

#21  Why stop there Clolutle, You make the Muslim's look downright peaceful. This guy is keeping a list of Muslim Attacks since 9/11. It's a very long list. Scroll down.
Religion of Pieces
Posted by: 2b   2005-11-07 19:42  

#20  I'm sure privately, "W" is smiling with legs crossed over the French Islamic Problem! What goes around, comes around...even for Chirac; blessed are the dice!!
Posted by: smn   2005-11-07 19:27  

#19  Nice catch PlanetDan!
Posted by: Shipman   2005-11-07 17:07  

#18  "not blindly" means attacking and defacing clearly visible objects, i.e. identity of the culture. Churches, architectural monuments and large buildings clearly seen from above. 'Cause a picture speaks a thousand words.
Posted by: Nesvarbukas   2005-11-07 16:09  

#17  CSA opinion poll published in Le Parisien at the weekend showed him with a nationwide approval rating of 57%.

Sarkozy Opinion Poll Source

Very Favorable 15%
Slightly Favorable 42%
TOTAL FAVORABLE 57%
Slightly Unfavorable 21%
Very Unfavorable 18%
TOTAL UNFAVORABLE 39%
DONT KNOW 4%

I wonder if we dropped the Arabs questioned out of the poll whether that unfavorable would drop a whole lot?

But there is another part of this survey which inquires about the actions of Sarkozy -

For do each following statement concerning Nicolas Sarkozy, tell me if you agree or do not agree?

He has too much in the media attention:
Agree 73% Disagree 25% Don't Know 2%
He emphasizes too much repression and not enough prevention :
Agree 66% Disagree 32% Don't Know 2%
He uses term that are shocking to hear from an Interior Minister :
Agree 63% Disagree 35% Don't Know 2%
He is concerned about solving problems in France :
Agree 62% Disagree 36% Don't Know 2%
His actions are effective against the "insecurity":
Agree 48% Disagree 50% Don't Know 2%
He treats all categories (ethnic) Frenchmen equally :
Agree 44% Disagree 43% Don't Know 3%

It seems like there is an appeasement mentalit permeating the entire French nation. I guess they don't want to use the strong medicine necessary, anf that Sarzoky is proposing...

Too much repression? Wait'll some of those fashion houses are shut down by the newly formed Ministry of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, and all the models will be wearing burkas. Then we'll see some REAL repression.

Posted by: BigEd   2005-11-07 13:46  

#16  Muslim leaders of African and Arab communities have also issued a fatwa, or religious order, against the riots. "It is strictly forbidden for any Muslim... to take part in any action that strikes blindly at private or public property or that could threaten the lives of others," the fatwa by the Union of Islamic Organisations in France said.

I'm sure the original full text says something capable of a very different interpretation.
Posted by: gromgoru   2005-11-07 12:31  

#15  Though they might have reported on it earlier and I missed it (I don't listen every day) NPR's Morning Edition finally reported on the riots. Though they did not, of course, use the "M" word.

And why the ---- did it take Chirac 10 days to say anything publically??

Try to imagine this: Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brownsville, Crown Heights and other areas in and around NYC are hit with riots. It would take the major media all of five minutes to be all over the story, shouting from the rooftops (just as long as they could blame Republicans). And they would not sit still and quiet waiting for Bush to say something.
Posted by: growler   2005-11-07 11:50  

#14  The media in this country has from what I have seen been just as guilty as the media in the EU in terms of taking pains not to truelly indentify the rioters. There are actually idiots in this country that think this is about the "French" trying to "protect" their culture from the evil Amis or Anglos. When they learn that the rioters are mostly Arab/African extraction Muslims they act shocked as if they did not know that there are even Muslims living in Europe period
Posted by: Cheaderhead   2005-11-07 11:33  

#13  Fred Reed has a good article.
Posted by: Deacon Blues   2005-11-07 11:08  

#12  Before we get his take let's tell him that the rioters are registered Democratic voters.
Posted by: Matt   2005-11-07 11:06  

#11  Davey Jones is a Muslim extremist?
Posted by: Curt Simon   2005-11-07 11:05  

#10  There ya go, plainslow. "Blindly" is the escape clause. It's a nuance thing. Ima sure that John "Friggin" Kerry can explain the fine print to buddy Chiraq.

BTW, has anyone heard any statements issued by Kerry concerning this *ahem* widespread but random rioting in France? We would like his take on things.
Posted by: Alaska Paul   2005-11-07 10:50  

#9  regarding the Fatwa,

I suspect some cars belonging to some Imans or moslem businessfolk got torched and this Fatwa was rushed into being. The rioters were trying to avoid torching mosques or hallal shops but couldn't figure out which car belong to an infidel and which belongs to a believer.
Posted by: mhw   2005-11-07 10:46  

#8  "Muslim leaders of African and Arab communities have also issued a fatwa, or religious order, against the riots. "It is strictly forbidden for any Muslim... to take part in any action that strikes blindly at private or public property or that could threaten the lives of others," the fatwa by the Union of Islamic Organisations in France said."
The operative word here is " blindly". Must mean they have a plan. Then they can do what they want if they have a plan. because, that means they are not "blindly" doing anything.
Posted by: plainslow   2005-11-07 10:35  

#7  He was a typical nutter but more importantly a violent one.
Posted by: MunkarKat   2005-11-07 10:33  

#6  It's a good thing our (US) Iraq flypaper stratagy has attracted and captured or killed dozens of "french" operatives trying to join Al Queda's efforts in Iraq. Otherwise they would still be in france helping, guiding, and training the mob de jour.

One wonders if we're near reaching the point at which intrepid young jihadis will choose to travel to Paris to fight rather than Iraq. Surely facing neutered French authorities in Paris would be preferable to facing US Marines in the deserts of Iraq.
Posted by: AzCat   2005-11-07 10:33  

#5  Clolutle Slans, point taken about the Muslim male extremist thing. However, regarding your point 1, Sirhan Bishara Sirhan who shot Robert Kennedy was a Palestinian Christian.
Posted by: Grunter   2005-11-07 10:18  

#4  Brilliant, funny thanks Clolutle Slans5753. First shot in Eurabian War.
Posted by: Bardo   2005-11-07 10:07  

#3  It's a good thing our (US) Iraq flypaper stratagy has attracted and captured or killed dozens of "french" operatives trying to join Al Queda's efforts in Iraq. Otherwise they would still be in france helping, guiding, and training the mob de jour.

So far that is. Just because they are evil doesn't mean they have to stay stupid. Sooner or later the dual lessons of go to Iraq and get killed or captured or stay home and shoot/firebomb without repercussion are going to sink in.
Posted by: Dave   2005-11-07 10:06  

#2  Please pause a moment, reflect back, and take the
following multiple choice test. The events are actual
events from history. They actually happened!!!

Do you remember?

1. 1968 Bobby Kennedy was shot and killed by

a. Superman
b. Jay Leno
c. Harry Potter
d. a Muslim male extremist between the ages of 17 and
40

2. In 1972 at the Munich Olympics, athletes were
kidnapped and massacred by

a. Olga Corbett
b. Sitting Bull
c. Arnold Schwarzenegger
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of
17 and 40

3. In 1979, the US embassy in Iran was taken over by:

a. Lost Norwegians
b. Elvis
c. A tour bus full of 80-year-old women
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of
17 and 40

4. During the 1980's a number of Americans were
kidnapped in Lebanon by:

a. John Dillinger
b. The King of Sweden
c. The Boy Scouts
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of
17 and 40

5. In 1983, the US Marine barracks in Beirut was blown
up by:

a. A pizza delivery boy
b. Pee Wee Herman
c. Geraldo Rivera
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of
17 and 40

6. In 1985 the cruise ship Achille Lauro was hijacked
and a 70 year old American passenger was murdered and
thrown overboard in his wheelchair by:

a. The Smurfs
b. Davy Jones
c. The Little Mermaid
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of
17 and 40

7. In 1985 TWA flight 847 was hijacked at Athens, and
a US Navy diver trying to rescue passengers was
murdered by:

a. Captain Kidd
b. Charles Lindberg
c. Mother Teresa
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of
17 and 40

8. In 1988, Pan Am Flight 103 was bombed by:

a. Scooby Doo
b. The Tooth Fairy
c. Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of
17 and 40

9. In 1993 the World Trade Center was bombed the first
time by:

a. Richard Simmons
b. Grandma Moses
c. Michael Jordan
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of
17 and 40

10. In 1998, the US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania
were bombed by:

a. Mr. Rogers
b. Hillary Clinton, to distract attention from Wild
Bill's women problems
c. The World Wrestling Federation
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of
17 and 40

11. On 9/11/01, four airliners were hijacked; two were
used as missiles to take out the World Trade Centers
and of the remaini! ng two, one crashed into the US
Pentagon and the other was diverted and crashed by the
passengers.
Thousands of people were killed by:

a. Bugs Bunny, Wiley E. Coyote, Daffy Duck and Elmer
Fudd
b. The Supreme Court of Florida
c. Mr. Bean
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of
17 and 40

12. In 2002 the United States fought a war in
Afghanistan against:

a. Enron
b. The Lutheran Church
c. The NFL
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of
17 and 40

13. In 2002 reporter Daniel Pearl was kidnapped and
murdered by:

a. Bonnie and Clyde
b. Captain Kangaroo
c. Billy Graham
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of
17 and 40
Posted by: Clolutle Slans5753   2005-11-07 10:02  

#1  from Newsweek:

Calling on mosques to restore order "validates the postulate that Islam is the answer to everything," says Dounia Bouzar, author of several books on French Muslims.

'nuff said.
Posted by: PlanetDan   2005-11-07 09:58  

00:01