Europe News
Arrests, arson mark third-straight night of anti-Sarkozy protests
May 9, 2007, 4:03 GMT
Paris - Arrests were made for the third night in a row in France as violent protests broke out in Paris, Toulouse and Lyon over the election of conservative Nicolas Sarkozy as president, police said late Tuesday.
The local office of Sarkozy's Union for a Popular Movement in the central city of Villeurbanne also caught fire in what police called arson.
In Paris, clashes between police and mainly leftist protesters occurred after about 150 demonstrators blocked access to Bastille Square. They chanted slogans such as 'Sarko, fascist' and 'Police everywhere, justice nowhere.' As police moved in to disperse the protesters, violence broke out.
One demonstrator was hurt and a number were arrested, mainly to identify the people involved in the violence, which has occurred each night since Sarkozy's win in Sunday's election, police said.
In Lyon, France's second-largest city, about 200 mostly young Sarkozy opponents took to the streets. Some began rioting and two were arrested, police said.
In nearby Villeurbanne, no one was hurt in the fire at Sarkozy's party's office, police said. Mayor Jean-Paul Bret condemned the arson, saying, 'In a democratic state, there is no room for such acts.'
Another arson was reported at a car dealership in a suburb of Toulouse, and several cars went up in flames. Earlier, young people had clashed there with police, but an anti-Sarkozy demonstration in central Toulouse took place without incident.
Sarkozy won Sunday's election against Socialist Segolene Royal with 53.06 per cent of the vote.
© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-AgenturCOMMENT
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Older Talkback
page: 1
The rioters and their supporters in France have much to lose if Nicolas Sarkozy can get the National Assembly to revise the social laws. As it is, people can refuse to work and get Government paid housing and allowances, and, even unemployed people can bring their relatives to France to enjoy the benefits, and they don't need to work either.
In the meantime, lazy and unproductive workers do not fear layoffs because the socialists passed laws to protect them. They have a 35 hour work week, 6 weeks vacation a year, and very generous health care and free Universities.
Railroad workers retire at 50 years old, and at 100% of their former wage, and those labor union workers so lucky as to be able to crush the economy with illegal strikes are almost as well off.
Of course, the economy is sick, the debt is crushing and the ratio of pensioners to workers is unsustainable. But, those who have made it, are secure and comfortable, but those who have not are just out of luck.
The rioters are illiterate, and, as Sarkozy says are scum.
Well, there it hope for France, but no hope for those who want a free ride.
I would disagree with many of your thoughts. France surely has it's problems with entitlement and welfare payouts, but the young are also peeved because conservatives want to adjust workplace laws so that young hires can be fired up to two years into employment, without cause. Tell me that's not going to be exploited. The world that French youths emerge into as young adults is extremely unforgiving. They work extremely hard just to stay in place.
No connections? You're a street sweeper for the rest of your life. That has to be fixed.
'nice to see how the leftists react to democracy'
When they don't get their own way they riot, yet they have the audacity to call others fascists.
Maybe the French youth are afraid of having a leader with some backbone and conservatism as opposed to some previous leadership they have had.
'Youths' are not burning anything in France.
It is the MUSLIMS stupid!!
This is the term always used when riots begin and it is always the musims who find an excuse to riot, kill, and burn French citizens.
The truth eventually does come out as lies by their nature have a temporary life.
This is what happens when any nation allows these beggar muslims inside their borders. I guess this could be considered 'thanks' for all the welfare, housing, medical care, and other benefits to the host nation that they would NEVER receive in their rathole, islamic homelands.
When will these governments wakeup and stop admitting the islamic cancer in their nations?
Could it be that France still has some spirit left in its citizenry?! They are not broken like my fellow American cattle, er I mena citizens who believe what they are told!
'We are at war with Islam, we have always been at war with Islam. Long live America (or France)'... How very Orwellian! blaming Muslims is a cop out for the real problems...that of SOCIAL INEQUITY. But remember boys and girls CLASS DOES NOT EXIST, or rather EVERY ONE IS MIDDLE CLASS.
While the rich grow richer at truly exponential rates we worry that some workers might actually have a decent life and retire at a decent age. WHY THE HECK MUST WE WAIT UNTIL 65-70 to retire anyways? Oh right to make the rich RICHER!
You are all cattle in the capitalist factory/stables...you are taught to hate your neighbor and to blaim him for your woes...not to question the system.
Ah another victory for capitalism, another defeat for democracy.
My heart goes out to you France, birthplace of Freedom.
socialist, leftwing, multiculturalist, politically correct apologist.
SIGH WOULD MAKE A FIRST RATE DHIMMI IN AN ISLAMIC SOCIETY.
Do you even know the definition of dhimmi or do I again have to educate you for free?
Look it up halfwit.
Americans are not cattle or anything as you indicate, but a nation of people who will not be cowered, kowtowed, or BSd as yourself claiming that muslims and their cult of islam is not the greatest threat today to the free world.
We Americans will choose to fight again, while people as yourself will live in a free nation and do nothing to help defend it or improve it.
Your obvious hypocrisy will not allow you to go live among those muslim moonworshisppers you claim to love so much as you know any islamic nation is a cesspool of failure and human misery.
You are a typical hater of western values, yet you refuse to leave the same nation you claim to hate so much and despise.
No surprise there.
The really nice thing to come out of all this is that Sarkozy is running on a mandate to curb the Islamic scum in France. I just hope he uses plenty of live rounds :)
'They are not broken like my fellow American cattle, er I mena citizens who believe what they are told! '
LOL! So because the American people aren't out burning cars and destroying property they are 'broken'? You moron!
'blaming Muslims is a cop out for the real problems...that of SOCIAL INEQUITY.'
Get a job you lazy half wit.
' But remember boys and girls CLASS DOES NOT EXIST, or rather EVERY ONE IS MIDDLE CLASS.'
You have NO class. Whatever 'class' you end up in you put yourself there.
'we worry that some workers might actually have a decent life and retire at a decent age. '
They do that by WORKING, not by burning cars, you fool.
' WHY THE HECK MUST WE WAIT UNTIL 65-70 to retire anyways? '
Because that is life, you lazy slob.
'You are all cattle in the capitalist factory/stables'
LOL! Wazza matter, were your food coupons late? Not enough in your check to get a DSL?
'Ah another victory for capitalism, another defeat for democracy.'
THEY VOTED HIM IN! IT IS THE CAR BURNERS WHO ARE ATTACKING DEMOCRACY YOU IDIOT!
'My heart goes out to you France, birthplace of Freedom.'
Freedom from work?
Ha ha france has muslim problems now.
page: 1
just lookingMay 9th, 2007 - 05:15:33
nice to see how the leftists react to democracy
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