The riots in France have spread beyond Paris to Marseille, Dijon, and Normandy. For those who haven’t been following the story, here’s a timeline from The Tocqueville Connection.
Wednesday, October 19:
– Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy declares a “war without mercy” on violence in the suburbs.
Tuesday, October 25:
– During a visit to the suburb of Argenteuil, Sarkozy is pelted with stones and bottles. He describes rebellious youths in such districts as “rabble”.
Thursday, October 27:
– Two boys in the suburb of Clichy-sous-Bois, Bouna Traore, a 15-year-old of Malian background, and Zyed Benna, a 17-year-old of Tunisian origin, flee a police identity check. They scale the wall of an electrical relay station and are electrocuted as they try to hide near a transformer.
– Youths in the suburb, hearing of the deaths, go on a rampage, burning 23 vehicles and vandalising buildings and hurling stones and bottles at riot police.
Friday, October 28:
– Four hundred youths clash with police in Clichy-sous-Bois, throwing stones, bottles and Molotov cocktails. Twenty-three officers are hurt and their colleagues are forced to fire rubber bullets to push back mobs. A shot is fired at a riot police van without causing injury. Thirteen people are arrested and 29 vehicles are burned.