Paris: Increasing tensions between immigrant youth and police

Paris: Increasing tensions between immigrant youth and police

Community activists in Villiers-le-Bel suburb of Paris, where riots broke out in 2007, are sounding the alarm.  Over the past month there have been severe clashes every weekend between the local youths and police.

The activists, young men aged 24-30, are the only ones who have authority over the youth.  Six of them met in late May with Secretary of State for Urban Policies, Fadela Amara, who wanted to establish direct contacts in the city.

Said (28) says that they're on the verge of a catastrophe.  There used to be a little hate, but now it is even worse, and has deteriorated over the past year.  One 24 year old shopkeeper, requesting to remain anonymous, says that when there's no more guiding values, no more future, they get to the logic of suicide bombers.  One of the group's leaders says that the police come in in a guerilla mode.  They show up dressed like Robocop, as if they're entering an occupied area.

Source: Le Monde (French)

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