Highlights
• Two youths killed in motorbike accident with police patrol car
• Riots ensue shortly after vehicle crash
• Parisian immigrant suburbs remain “tinderbox” two years after devastating 2005 riots
• Relations between immigrant youth and police forces will remain tense
On November 25, 2007, violence broke out on the streets of Parisian suburb, Villiers-le-Bel following a deadly accident involving two immigrant youths. The two teens, aged 15 and 16, were killed when their motorbike collided with a police car in the densely populated immigrant suburb. Six hours of violence followed the collision leading to the arrests of nine and injuring approximately 21 police officers.
Paris’s high-immigrant areas remain a so-called “tinderbox” following the devastating riots of 2005. As we previously reported, in October 2005, security in Paris’s largely Muslim enclaves deteriorated into chaos as Muslim youth took to the streets to protest the accidental killing of two Muslim adolescents by police forces (Previous Report). The riots persisted for three weeks causing massive destruction to Paris’ streets.
The 2005 riots highlighted ongoing discontent among sections of the country’s immigrant population. We believe despite French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s tough stance on law and order and plans for immigration and employment reform, relations between police forces and France’s dissatisfied immigrant youth populations will remain tense in the near-term.
Renewed Violence Erupts
On November 25, 2007, violent clashes erupted following a deadly vehicle accident that killed two French youth. According to police officials, a motorbike crashed into the side of a police car during a routine patrol. Two youths, aged 15 and 16, died in the accident. Omar Sehhouli, brother to one of the unnamed victims, accused police of ramming into the motorbike and of failing to assist the injured teens.
In the hours following the accident, gangs of largely-immigrant youth, clashed with police. Approximately 100 youths mobbed the crash site and proceeded to burn 30 cars and loot multiple shops in the area. Police arrested nine as rioters torched a nearby police station, two garages, several shops, and a railway station in neighboring Arnouville. The violence was the worst since nationwide riots erupted in October 2005.
French Immigrant Population Ripe with Discontent
Shortly following the November 25, 2007 vehicle accident, French Interior Minister Michele Alliot-Marie, offered brief condolences to the victims’ families stating it is, “tragic to see the lives of two young people cut short.” Amid fears the violence would spread police called for restraint stating it was “unacceptable for a gang of delinquents to use this tragedy as an excuse to set the town on fire.” Villers-le-Bel Mayor, Didier Vaillant, also appealed for calm promising an “impartial investigation” into the accident would occur.
Briefly touching on the overarching concerns involving high unemployment and segregation, French politicians joined in the debate, including opposition Socialist Party head, Francois Hollande. Calling the violence the result of “a social and political crisis,” Holland stated, “Promises were made, we want to see results. How long have we been talking about ‘a plan for the suburbs’?”
Future Outlook
As we previously reported, the 2005 French riots highlighted discontent among sections of France’s immigrants (Previous Report). Paris’s high-immigrant areas remain a so-called “tinderbox” following the devastating riots of 2005. As we previously reported, former French President, Jacques Chirac, left behind a country reeling with internal anger (Previous Report). Issues such as immigration, and religion versus secularism remain a constant burden on the population. Despite French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s tough stance on law and order and plans for immigration reform, we believe relations between police forces and France’s immigrant youth populations will remain tense in the near-term.
Additionally, it is likely violence will continue to erupt in Paris’s high-immigrant suburbs as a result of unresolved unemployment issues and subsequent rising anger toward French authorities.
