So far, about thirty police officers have been injured in the riots. Earlier today, a manslaughter inquiry into the deaths of the teenagers at Villers-le-Bel was ordered by a state prosecutor. While local youths blame the police, the police in their defense explain that the two teens were speeding and not wearing their helmets.
Despite the many appeals of calm, the rioting came anyway. Currently, President of France Nicolas Sarkozy is visiting China at the moment. Police have already been fired upon by rioters. A police car and several other vehicles have already been torched in the rioting that has happened for two days.
So far, the police had used rubber bullets and tear gas to combat the rioters.
Monday night’s rioting follows the one after Sunday night. Numerous vehicles and buildings were torched in both Villiers-le-Bel and Arnouville. One of the buildings was a police station.
In the Sunday riots, twenty-six police officers and fire fighters were injured. Nine rioters have been arrested so far. The riot reminisces that of the 2005 riots that were nationwide regarding the death of two youths at Clichy-sous-Bois.
During the 2005 riots, Sarkozy served as minister of the interior.
According to BBC, it highlights the breakdown of relations between police and the youth in many of the poor suburbs of France.
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