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| Europe |
| France to Impose Curfews to Quell Rioting |
| 2005-11-07 |
| PARIS - France will impose curfews under a state-of-emergency law and call up police reservists to stop rioting that has spread out of Paris' suburbs and into nearly 300 cities and towns across the country, the prime minister said Monday, calling a return to order "our No. 1 responsibility." The tough new measures came as France's worst civil unrest in decades entered a 12th night, with rioters in the southern city of Toulouse setting fire to a bus after sundown and pelting police with gasoline bombs and rocks. Earlier, a 61-year-old retired auto worker died of wounds from an attack last week, the first death in the violence. Asked on TF1 television whether the army should be brought in, Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin said, "we are not at that point." But "at each step, we will take the necessary measures to re-establish order very quickly throughout France," he said. "That is our prime duty: ensuring everyone's protection." ... Villepin said curfews will be imposed under a 1955 law that allows the declaring of a state of emergency in parts or all of France. The law was passed to curb unrest in Algeria during the war that led to its independence. He said 1,500 reservists were being called up to reinforce the 8,000 police and gendarmes already deployed. The Cabinet will meet Tuesday to authorize curfews "wherever it is necessary," he said. ... Local government officials will be able to impose curfews "if they think it will be useful to permit a return to calm and ensure the protection of residents. That is our No. 1 responsibility," the prime minister said. A Socialist opposition leader, Francois Hollande, said his party would closely watch to make sure the curfew law is applied properly. "This law cannot be applied everywhere, and it cannot be long-lasting," Hollande said. He said Villepin should have put more emphasis on improving life in tough neighborhoods and said the premier's proposals were vague. Villepin said he wanted to speed up a $35.5 billion urban redevelopment plan, triple the number of merit scholarships for talented students and offer jobs, training or internships to disadvantaged young people. "We must offer them hope and a future," he said. Rest at link. |
| Posted by:ed |
| #14 France will impose curfews under a state-of-emergency law and.. The question is, are they willing to enforce it by whatever means are necessary? |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2005-11-07 22:01 |
| #13 12 days to impose curfews and state-of-emergency law? Hell fire, it only took 2 days or so in Berkeley back in 1968. And de Vellepin sez that he is gonna right all the wrongs with $35 billion? There's a gonna be a whole lot more burnin' to bring up the price tag. Just un 'friggin' believable. So what is John Friggin' Kerry have to say about ********THIS********? |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2005-11-07 21:45 |
| #12 Won't strict curfews put a damper on mid-night basketball? In keeping with PM Villepin's $35.5 billion urban redevelopment plan for disadvantaged young people, Midnight basketball will continue at it's normal time. Players and spectators are exempt from the "mandetory" curfew. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2005-11-07 21:11 |
| #11 Won't strict curfews put a damper on mid-night basketball? I think next year's Tour will be dubbed "the Cycle of Violence." |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2005-11-07 21:03 |
| #10 It's funny because the no-go zones were a 24Hour long curfew for the Frenchy State. |
| Posted by: Bright Pebbles 2005-11-07 20:21 |
| #9 OUCH, 'Moose! Hope there weren't any Phrogs around; that would definitely hurt. :-D |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2005-11-07 20:20 |
| #8 I just heard a local wit who, with scenes of fire and chaos from Paris on a TV in the background, pointed to it and said: "Welcome to John Kerry's America." |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2005-11-07 20:16 |
| #7 Here is a new spin from the WaPo. Via Drudge: The unrest, involving poor whites as well as French-born citizens of Arab or African origin. The "Poor Whites" is a new one on me... Have I missed something regarding this French Mess? Has anyone else following this joke heard anything like this before regarding "poor whites"? |
| Posted by: Long Hair Republican 2005-11-07 19:21 |
| #6 Over 10,000 cars have now been firebombed. French insurance companies must be taking a bath. And you KNOW how much they must be hating that*! *when describing french reactions, one must always resort to using the passive voice, no? |
| Posted by: Dave 2005-11-07 19:19 |
| #5 |
| Posted by: DMFD 2005-11-07 18:35 |
| #4 Curfew after 11th day! I would of had it by the 3rd night! These frenchies! |
| Posted by: Ulirt Hupaiger1945 2005-11-07 18:15 |
| #3 It will be interesting to see how it is defined. Hours? Geographic area? Skin color? Religion? When armed? Quota for number of cars burned? |
| Posted by: Master of Obvious 2005-11-07 17:47 |
#2  |
| Posted by: Tell D. Truth 2005-11-07 17:46 |
| #1 brilliant. Offer them rewards for their bad behavior before the fighting even starts. Keep rampaging and Villianpinhead might even give you each a pony. RFSP |
| Posted by: 2b 2005-11-07 17:43 |