French riots continue overnight
Scores of police officers injured in second night of rioting in Paris suburbs
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Tuesday, 27, Nov 2007 09:40
Scores of police officers have been injured after the Paris suburbs experienced a second night of rioting.
Five officers have reportedly been left in a critical condition after youths threw missiles at riot police in Villiers-le-Bel, which is 20km north of the French capital.
There has been unrest in the area since Sunday night, when two teenagers died after their motorcycle was struck by a police car.
The violent scenes witnessed have evoked memories of widespread rioting in France two years ago.
The 2005 riots, which started when two youths were electrocuted after fleeing from police, escalated into the country's worst social unrest for 40 years.
A manslaughter inquiry has been ordered into the death of the two youths on Sunday, while president Nicolas Sarkozy, still vilified in the immigrant-family dominated suburbs, has appealed for calm.
Speaking on a visit to China he said it was "for the judiciary to decide who bears responsibility".
More than 60 vehicles were set on fire in Villiers-le-Bel, police said, while five buildings were ablaze.
Prior to the 2005 riots Mr Sarkozy courted controversy by describing people living in Paris housing schemes as "voyous… racaille", which translates as 'thugs… scum'.