Police arrest 300 in Paris riots over economic crisis

Police arrest 300 in Paris riots over economic crisis

www.thisislondon .co.uk

At least 10 police officers were seriously injured in the Place de la Nation, in the east of the French capital, where 85,000 people completed a largely peaceful protest.

Nationally, some three million showed their anger at President Sarkozy.

As fires were lit and shop windows smashed soon after 8pm last night, riot police unleashed rounds of tear gas at a mob of about 750 youths.

Fighting broke out on all corners of the square, with police snatch squads moving in to arrest ring leaders. Chants of "Sarkozy resign" were heard, as what appeared to be well organised gangs went on the rampage in surrounding streets, targeting banks and other symbols of capitalism.

By midnight there had been at least 300 arrests, with 49 charged with serious public order offences.

(visit the link for the full news article)

It's happening.....i fear it's going to happen here as well.

The peaceful protests will only last so long until they prove to be violent if nothing is done.

Their protests have been large and peaceful in France..until now.

The world is going crazy.

The little guy is getting his face kicked in all over the world.



Sigh....i long for better days.

www.thisislondon .co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)

I don't think the world is going crazy.

Not even close to crazy.

There is an old saying, "Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it."

What we are seeing today is history repeating itself, only on a more global scale.

I think the world has always been crazy they are just not able to contain it now.

Lets see though 300 arrested out of 3 million protesters. Not good odds for the cops I don't think.

Just a matter of time before they spread over here.

reply to post by Hastobemoretolife


Right.

Another thing as well...it only takes a few bad apples out of a bunch of people to start chaos....then it spreads.

Remember the LA riots? yikes.

reply to post by David9176


Oh yea, think of that on a grand scale though. There is not enough resources to quell all the riots if they break out and it consists of millions of people.

Yea its bound to happen here, Obama is on a slippery slope and his head will be called for. Hes went back on so many of his 'promises', the guys just playin us like a fiddle, at least with Bush you knew the guy was evil. Obama is wearing some sheeps clothing....

Paris (France) is hit very hard and has been for a long time, the price of goods is through the roof. I can see this as becoming a lot worse, hopefully America will learn and follow in France's footsteps and try to oust the people who are ruining OUR country.

reply to post by David9176


There are always a few bad apples in the bunch but governments also put their people into these peaceful demonstations to start the violence. This gives the government an excuse to crack down on the protesters.

They are called agent provocateurs. It is a well known tactic used by governments around the world. There was a well known case of this happening in Canada in 2007.

Three protesters in Montebello, Canada during the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America were accused of being police provocateurs on August 20, 2007, by Dave Coles, president of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada. The entire incident was filmed and posted on YouTube before being picked up by mainstream media. The video shows three masked men, one of whom was armed with a large rock, being confronted by peaceful protesters. One of the masked men spoke to police officers, and then all three pretended to breach the police line and were 'arrested.' Photographs revealed that their boot-tread matched that of the arresting officers. Although they at first denied that the individuals in question were agents provocateurs, the Sûreté du Québec issued a news release on August 23 admitting that the three protesters were, in fact, police officers

www.cbc.ca...

reply to post by David9176



I'm an American living in Paris and have been out and about all day yesterday, last night and all day today all over the city doing stuff with my kids. Nothing going on in Paris to speak of. What you have over here are a couple of neighborhoods with high crime and a lot of misaffected youth. They ain't doing anything anyway, so they figure they might as well go to a protest. Might meet a couple of chicks, if nothing else. The French also have a history of protesting and kind of feel it is their duty to raise a bit of hell in the streets every once in a while.

The funny thing is that one of the reasons these kids can't get jobs is because they have a mandated 35 hour work week, mandatory vacation and it is close to impossible to fire anyone, so businesses don't hire folks. Sarkozy is trying to change that and remove some of these regs, and folks(who like their 35 hour work week, massive benefits and the rest of the deal) don't like it so they hit the streets.

This story has been way over stated and it is like you suggested, a couple of jerks spoiling what would have been a nice day walking around France on a sunny spring day.

As far as the counting goes, if you are sitting in an outside cafe sucking down a couple of cold beers and a bunch of folks walk by carrying signs protesting a government policy, do they count you among the protestors? If so, I've been in a couple of protests in the few months I've been here.....

reply to post by dolphinfan


So what is the unemployment rate in a good economy in France?

I think it is crazy that they don't want to work 5 more hours a day. I don't know must be the American in me.

The unemployment rate is around 10.5 or so at a national level, but much higher for younger folks due to the burden of bringing on more staff.

It is not that all the folks don't want to work more than 35 hours. The country is essentially unionized and their work rules stipulate a 35 hour work week.

reply to post by dolphinfan


Crazy, what is the tax rate over there anyhow?

Beyond the unions how can the people really fix the problems that they have. It just doesn't seem right and actually find it quit amazing that they get anything done.

They have a pretty good life and in many cases a better one than we have in the US. I've lived in Italy as well and the Italians have a decent thing going as well.

The tax rates are high, but not as high as you might imagine. I think they are in the high 40s. A lot of things are paid for. The schools are good, pretty much all of them. There are over a hundred museums in Paris alone, many geared for kids. In all of them, kids under 12 are free. On the first Sunday of each month, they are all free for everyone, even the Louve. The kids have no school on Wednesdays and typically go on organized outings with church, club or school groups. If they have a stay at home parent, they hang out with their family. Parks are everywhere and all are spotless.

College is free with the exception of some trade and very exclusive schools, but even those are no where as expensive as a top school in the US.

Medical is free, yet you can still have your own doctor and see specialists on your own, if you want, not this dirtly clinic with a bunch of bonehead doctors that you might imagine. My kid was sick the other day and I had a house call with a service that had him here in under an hour. He checked all of the kids out. Fee 60 Euro or about $75 (could have gone to a clinic or hospital for free). He wrote 5 perscriptions for a number of things and I got them filled, without EU insurance for @$30. The drugs would have cost me, with insurance close on $100 in the US.

They have a nice deal. They spend a lot more time with family and friends, have way less stress.

Part of the reason and it is a by-product is that with the model, there is less of an incentive to work your ass off. There is also not that big of a difference between professional and administrative classes. People are less hung up on material things.

reply to post by dolphinfan


Hrmm, interesting.

They are still in debt though. And going through the same troubles we are. It also doesn't sound like it is a model that lends it self well to new employee's.

Originally posted by MrWendal
I don't think the world is going crazy.

Not even close to crazy....

I must have missed something. Last time I checked the world was bat-poop crazy, as in let-me-off-this-giant-blue-marble crazy. But, hey, you say it's not even close to being crazy so who am I to say otherwise?

[edit on 20-3-2009 by pluckynoonez]

Only 300 people, that is pretty tame for Paris, they really get interested in their social action there, the police are lucky they let them take the 300.

I was there during the Farm protests in 1993, amazing sight, if we could all be like the Parisians there would be no problems in North America.

reply to post by pluckynoonez


I'm ready to build a space ship and see what is our sister solar systems. I figure that if out of 8(9) planets there is intelligent life on this one there has to be some other intelligent life out there.

I'm ready to see what else is out there.

Edit - Since you like the doom, I think it would be cool to see a nuclear holocaust from space.

[edit on 20-3-2009 by Hastobemoretolife]

reply to post by dolphinfan


I'm surprised you say very little was affected considering the story I read said 3 million people formed and traffic was a mess.

President Sarkozy and Gordon Brown think they are running the G20 these days. They need to get off their high horses or get knocked off them. I wish I was there to join the protesters. If I had any say I would cancel the next G20 meeting scheduled in April! Bush signed in blood at the meeting in November and Obama is eagerly involved with them now. Gordon Brown likes speaking about the NWO and quoting the Bible about birth pangs in the same breath. Why are we here in America not protesting? We are all in on this together. Maybe I missed something but doubt they are protesting over taxes.


[edit on 20-3-2009 by wonderworld]

Originally posted by MrWendal
I don't think the world is going crazy.

Not even close to crazy.

There is an old saying, "Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it."

What we are seeing today is history repeating itself, only on a more global scale.

I agree with the quote but i have to add, this isnt the first time riots one country have lead to riots in another. When the french had a revoltion in the mid-victorian times i belive, the brittish government feared an uprising and so ensured that "peaceful" protesters were severly outnumberd. British people did venture onto the streets of london protesting but were outnumberd by about 15k police.

Makes me bitter to say this, But the french may actually LEAD us into a brave new (Hopefully fairer) world.

VIVA LA FRANCE!