Paris English Forums

VaBank · Paris Forums Visitor Joined: 26 Oct 2005 Posts: 23

I've seen in news that there are more riots in Paris. Is it now safe to come to Paris?

neshka · Paris Forums Starter Joined: 03 Nov 2005 Posts: 2

I'm visiting Paris in december and I've been asking myself that same question. I still think that we shouldn't panic for it's happening in the suburbs, however it's spreading...
I don't think I'll cancel my trip. you?

Nina · Paris Forum Guest

Riots in Paris Suburbs Continue for 8th Night, Spread

Nov. 4 (Bloomberg) -- Gangs burned cars and took on police for the eighth consecutive night in the Paris suburbs and riots spread to the provinces as the government of Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin struggled to restore calm.

About 240 cars were torched in the northeastern and western suburbs of Paris; 27 buses were set on fire in a depot southwest of the city, local officials said. The number of cars destroyed last night totaled 400, including vehicles in the Burgundy city of Dijon and in the south, Agence France-Presse reported.

``There are now copycat actions and imitations,'' said Eric Raoult, the mayor of Raincy, a town east of Paris. Seine-Saint- Denis, where the riots started, ``is a poor region. People need to find jobs, but it's difficult when your name is Soraya or Kamel,'' Raoult, a member of President Jacques Chirac's Union for a Popular Movement party, said in an interview.

The violence reflects tensions in French ghettos marked by youth unemployment of more than 30 percent, poverty and large immigrant Muslim communities in the majority Catholic nation. De Villepin yesterday vowed before the Senate that authorities ``will not give in'' to the violence and will make restoring order the government's top priority. ``I will not allow organized gangs to lay down the law in the suburbs,'' he said.

Electrocution

The first riots erupted after two boys, aged 15 and 19, one of Tunisian origin, the other from sub-Saharan Africa, were electrocuted on Oct. 27 by high-voltage equipment in an electricity substation, where they took refuge because they were being pursued by police, their families said. The police denied there was any pursuit. The public prosecutor's office said it has opened an investigation into the case.

``Contrary to preceding nights, direct clashes with the police remained few and there was no shooting with real bullets,'' Jean-Francois Cordet, prefect for the Seine-Saint- Denis region, said in an e-mailed statement today. Fewer big gangs and more smaller groups were involved, he said.

In Aulnay-sous-Bois, things were calmer last night, a city hall spokesman said. He said a carpet warehouse was burned in an industrial zone. Town authorities are organizing a march tomorrow to protest the violence, he said.

Source: http://www.bloomberg.com

WiseZealot · Paris Forum Guest

These people act like they are crazy!
Do they have any demands at least? What is the goal of their riot?

VaBank · Paris Forums Visitor Joined: 26 Oct 2005 Posts: 23

lerose · Paris Forum Guest

I'm a regular traveler to Pars and definately would not go until these horrible riots are over. The news from last night 3/11 was even worse. It could spred to anywhere in the city.

Ewelinka · Paris Forums Visitor Joined: 04 Sep 2005 Posts: 39

It's horrible! Sad

I never thought this could happen in France, not to mention Paris!
Confused

VB · Paris Forum Guest

I know Paris and the northeastern suburbs quite well. Paris is safe and will remain so. The only difficulty tourists may encounter is getting to-from Charles de Gaulle airport. I've heard that train service between the city and CDG has been suspended so don't count on taking the train.

Take a car or the Paris shuttle that drops you off at the Arc du Triompe. Most flights from the U.S. arrive in the morning and the riots are happening at night. Remember that tourism is France's #1 industry. They'll do everything they can to make sure tourists can get from the airports to the city, even in the face of these riots.

Ewelinka · Paris Forums Visitor Joined: 04 Sep 2005 Posts: 39

Kelly · Paris Forum Guest

I am currently living near the affected areas. At present the heart of Paris is really not effected, so visitors are not threatened.
The beef these people have is not with the visitors. It is with the French society. I have visited other european countries and lived in both Canada and the US, the conditions that these people are forced to live in are deplorable for a member of the G-8.

There tactics may seem violent, but from what I can tell it is solely property damage. No one is being hurt accept by the police. (I don't know what lies they are telling you in the USA, but no injuries have been reported here).

This is akin to America's blacks fighting for equal rights. These people are prejudiced against on a daily basis, and those fight now are French citizens, born here, but with names, colours and heritage that is not the same as the "VRAI" francais.

I am white and french speaking, but I am signicantly taller than the average french person, I speak with an accent, and I come from another country. Living here I experience prejudice almost everyday. I cannot imagine how diffucult it must be for those born here that see it continue on a larger scale because they wear the dressings of a muslim, have dark skin or a foreign name. But I do know for a fact that it is a reality.

How bad is anyone's guess, but the BBC has some interesting related articles if anyone is interested.

Ultimately, it is your decision. But don't stay more than two weeks if you do come, after the two week mark, the true colors become more evident.

Kelly

VaBank · Paris Forums Visitor Joined: 26 Oct 2005 Posts: 23

John · Paris Forum Guest

Here is a qoute:

Georgian · Paris Forum Guest

Does anyone know why they cannot stop these riots? It seems they have the right idea by massing policemen and arresting people by the hundreds, but the riots seem to be growing. I just can't imagine how a bunch of kids could cause so much trouble. Once they get the military involved the riots should stop. I think that is how they stopped the riots in LA.

julia · Paris Forum Guest

I have relatives who live between Montpellier and Nimes. Is everything quiet in this region? The news (in the UK) seems to give conflicting reports on other areas of rioting.

I also have friends in Nantes and I heard there were riots in Rennes - is this true?

truly · Paris Forum Guest

On the question of safety in France, there's a sad truth that must be faced. All Muslim countries are violent and intolerant. France is (sadly) crossing a critical threshold where it may now be considered the Islam of Europe. In other words, a stronghold of violence, intolerance, and third world values.

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angie · Paris Forum Guest

I live in England but my husband is from Paris and we've spoken to our family there tonight. Where they live its not affected, but they said that its teenagers between 13 and 17 in organized gangs that are rioting in the early hours of the morning. They are vandalizing anything that they can get their hands on even their neighbours cars or belongings, these are kids that are totally out of control. What are their parents doing! never mind the police!

Gauloise · Paris Forum Guest

The biggest culprits are all those politicians who have brought into my beautiful country all these hordes of non-European immigrants. The true goal of this immigration is to replace the native French population who has a low birth rate by all these blacks and Muslims. This has nothing to do with unemployment and poverty; it is blackmail, an attempt to gain more power against the French and turn the country, my country into a dump for the Third World. White peoples are on their way to extinction if things go on like this. We cannot compete with big families from outside Europe coming here to reproduce like rabbits. I blame all the so-called mainstream politicians in the Western world for orchestrating the massive arrival of foreigners we never wanted in the first place; the white race ("European") is not reproducing itself. Look at Canadians and Americans: their countries are based on the destruction of Native Peoples. Multiculturalism is a destructive idea: it means less and less for the natives. These politicians have all pursued this madness, they have an agenda: the extermination of the old Celtic tribes native to Europe. France should be for the French, Iraq for the Iraqis, etc... Population replacement, a WHITE genocide is happening all over the Western world. Do White peoples have enough guts to defend their countries? We have hair and eye colours no other race has. It does not mean superiority, it means we are more "fragile". Yes, it is a race issue, I mean, will the Europeans everywhere in the world survive this demographic aggression of unprecedented scale? Blame the politicians who made it easier and easier to migrate into the belly of Europe, blame the voters for not seeing the truth. I am unemployed and I do not burn cars. I offer my sympathy to my suffering compatriots. You can contact me: tellthetruthtoeveryone@yahoo.com

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Ewelinka · Paris Forums Visitor Joined: 04 Sep 2005 Posts: 39

view_from_here · Paris Forum Guest

... and it hasn't been for years.
The last time I had the misfortune to travel through Paris was back in 1988. I was travelling on the Metro between railway stations in the Centre of Paris, it was crowded in the rush hour, when I was surrounded by a vociferous gang of North African youths. They screamed and spat at me, got louder and more excited, till there were about 30 of them around me. Eventually, fearing for my life, I gave them my money (including my "emergency supply" which I always kept hidden on me when travelling). This seemed to satify them and at the next station, they all alighted from the train and dispersed. Needless to say, no one else in the carriage came to my aid, if fact they all seemed to have moved away to make room for the youths. When I tried to speak to anybody else who had witnessed what had happened, they all just looked away and wouldn't speak to me. (I am English, and only speak a little French.) At my destination I tried to report it, but was just blanked or met with shrugs and smiles. Faced with the choice of trying to spend time and money (of which I now had none of course), or going on to make my travel connection, I chose the later.

Needless to say, I have NEVER been back to France since, and if this is was it was like 17 years ago, what is it like today?

Bear in mind this happened on the Metro in the centre of Paris at the busiest time of the morning! This is what you must be prepared for if you go to Paris!

Andrei · Paris Forum Guest

Craig · Paris Forum Guest

Is it safe to go to disneyland Paris?

Euro-American? · Paris Forum Guest

view_from_here · Paris Forum Guest

Chrsitie · Paris Forum Guest

Hey,

Has anyone read up on Nostrudamus lately, about a revolution in France that spreads throughout Europe.

What maks it worse, is that the rioters are Muslims teenagers!!!!

All they need now is a leader to direct them and you have the start of World War 3

Guest · Paris Forum Guest

I am flying into Paris a week from Saturday - my wife and our other companions act as if I am the crazy one for suggesting we change our travel plans. I appreciate the information and perspective this forum has provided and will continue to stay tuned.

VaBank · Paris Forums Visitor Joined: 26 Oct 2005 Posts: 23

Jean · Paris Forum Guest

Tracker · Paris Forum Guest