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Riot police on standby for unrest
Thousands of police were on standby across France on Sunday evening to combat any wave of violence sparked by the election of Nicolas Sarkozy.
- The Telegraph Group Limited
- Published: 00:00 May 7, 2007
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Paris: Thousands of police were on standby across France on Sunday evening to combat any wave of violence sparked by the election of Nicolas Sarkozy.
Leave has been cancelled and forces including the gendarmerie, a military unit, and riot police are preparing for outbreaks of rioting, car-burning and lawlessness. In Paris, more than 3,000 riot police and gendarmes will be on alert, with a similar-sized force deployed outside the capital.
They will be backed up by thousands of regular policemen, although most of the extra forces will be kept out of public view. "It's the same as we've put into effect for World Cup football matches and New Year's Eve celebrations," said a police spokesman.
Determined not to be seen as agents provocateur, the authorities are taking a low-key approach. However, contingency plans have been drawn up for a rapid response to outbreaks of civil unrest in some of the most volatile and run-down housing estates.
In schools, high-rise housing blocks and on the streets of the most sensitive areas, rumours have been circulating that Sarkozy's election will provoke a repeat of the nationwide rioting and urban violence of November 2005. Then, Sarkozy was blamed for lighting the fuse after referring to local youths as racaille (rabble or scum).
"If Sarkozy wins it'll be a mess on all the estates," said one 17-year-old last week, in Clichy-sous-Bois where the rioting first erupted two years ago. "It'll be worse than 2005".
In the first round of the presidential election a fortnight ago, the more deprived and depressing parts of the French banlieues voted overwhelmingly for Segolene Royal, who won more than 60 per cent of the vote in some areas.
Despite attempts to soften his image and promises of jobs, Nicolas Sarkozy is seen as "the police candidate".
"There's a state of permanent tension between youngsters, the 15 to 18-year-olds, and the police. It doesn't take much on one side or the other for a situation to explode," said the Clichy youngster.
Farouk Khorchit, 21, a student who lives in Paris's Le Blanc-Mesnil suburb, spoke of the sense of injustice felt by many youngsters in the banlieue, where the police are seen as representatives of Sarkozy.
"Relations with the police is the number one problem," he told Le Monde.
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