Perilous Times
Rioters cause havoc in French city of Grenoble
* From correspondents in Grenoble
* From: AFP
* July 18, 2010 3:25AM
RIOTERS exchanged gunfire with police in the French Alpine city of
Grenoble, setting fire to shops and cars after police shot dead a man
accused of robbing a casino.
Youths torched between 50 and 60 cars in the southeastern city nestled
in the French Alps, as well as construction equipment and two shops,
while police said they made five arrests.
Interior Minister Brice Hortefeux showed up at the scene later, vowing
to quickly restore order to the working class La Villeneuve
neighbourhood.
The rioting started after a memorial service for 27-year-old Karim
Boudouda, who had died 24 hours earlier in a shootout with police after
allegedly holding up the Uriage-les-Bains casino near Grenoble.
Shortly before midnight, a group of around 30 youths armed with
baseball bats and iron bars attacked a tram in Boudouda's La Villeneuve
district and forced the passengers to get out.
Police intervened to protect the passengers, and the youths began
torching vehicles and attacking police who responded with tear gas.
About 2.30am (10.30am AEST), a youth emerged at the front of the
rioters and fired a shot at police, who returned fire four times,
police spokeswoman Brigette Jullien said.
Nobody was injured in the riots, said police, who arrested two men aged
18 and 20 for setting fire to vehicles and three more for attempted
looting of shops.
By the afternoon while the neighbourhood appeared calm, Mr Hortefeux,
with a horde of media in tow, made a lightning 15-minute tour of La
Villeneuve and promised quick action by the authorities.
"When I say quick, I mean immediately, that's how we are going to
re-establish public order and the authority of the State," he told an
instant press briefing outside the police headquarters.
"I've asked the prefect to use all means to secure the neighbourhood
... for now and for as much time as necessary for calm to return,"he
said.
"There is a simple and clear reality in this country: there's no future
for hoodlums and delinquents because in the end the public authority
always wins."
Some local residents listening to the interior minister, who also
promised to crack down on drug and arms trafficking, were not totally
reassured.
"I don't know what to think" of his visit, a florist in the
neighbourhood said.
"On the one hand it's reassuring, on the other it can only stir up the
hatred of some people," he said, adding that he wanted to empty his
florist shop in case there were more incidents.
"The minister's visit only risks aggravating the situation," said
another resident who also asked not to be named.
According to police union SGP-FO, violence has been on the rise in
recent months in Grenoble.
"Police are at breaking point," said regional union chief Daniel
Chomette.
The casino at Uriage-les-Bains was the third to be attacked in
southeastern France and Switzerland since late March.
An alleged accomplice of Boudouda escaped during the shootout and is
still on the run. Police found between 20,000 and 40,000 euros
($28,280-$56,561) in the back of the getaway car.
Prosecutor Jean Philippe said the police had acted in legitimate
self-defence when they were fired on at least three times after a car
chase which ended in La Villeneuve.
The police fired back, hitting Boudouda in the head, he said.
An autopsy was to be carried out on Boudouda, who had three convictions
for armed robbery.