Here is another article from the BBC which talks about riots in
France. This issue caught my attention because my family is
French, and many people in my family live in Paris, and this incident
is happening right now around Paris. What happened was two
teenagers of African or Middle Eastern descent (the article did not
say, but I am guessing by their names) were electrocuted in a subway
station in the area and there were allegations that this occurred
because they were running from the police. According to the
police, they were not chasing the teenagers in question, but perhaps
the teens were under the impression they were being pursued. At
any rate, after this incident, many people in North African communities
surrounding Paris began to riot. Now the police have been sent in
to mediate this area. According to the article, about twenty
towns in the suburbs northwest of Paris called Saint-Denis were riddled
with violence last night. Gangs in the area actually attacked a
police station as well as fired shots at police officers. They
were also responsible for throwing gas bombs and even lighting a car
showroom on fire. Now leaders in France are trying to step in and
stop the violence which only seems to be getting worse. In
another article in the BBC relating to this one, the conditions for
foreigners in France was discussed. It was said that many people
of African or Middle Eastern descent are discriminated against even if
they were born in France. They express frustration over not being
able to find jobs and being forced to live in the poor areas of the
suburbs. This may explain why the violence has escallated so
quickly because of this horrible accident. I never noticed how
racially segregated things have become in France, but after reading
this article and reflecting on the situation, I realized that all that
was said is true. People who do not fit the classic "white
French" mold are discriminated against, and there are specific areas of
Paris and the surrounding suburbs for people of African and Middle
Eastern descent. Hopefully the French government will be able to
find a way to rectify this situation and bring more equality to the
country.
Here are the links to the articles I used: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4404362.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4399748.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4399070.stm
MM