France: The Civil War Spreads

Posted: Sat, 05 Nov 2005 17:42:32 GMT

Source: Rioting and insurrection have spread now to Normandy and Toulouse:

Marauding youths torched nearly 900 vehicles, stoned paramedics and burned a nursery school in a ninth night of violence that spread from Paris suburbs to towns around France, police said Saturday. Authorities arrested more than 250 people overnight — a sweep unprecedented since the unrest began.

For the first time, authorities used a helicopter to chase down youths armed with gasoline bombs who raced from arson attack to arson attack, national police spokesman Patrick Hamon said.

Nearly a thousand vehicles in one night! No wonder the State Department has issued a travel warning for Paris.