Paris riots highlight inequalities
The violence associated with the riots in Paris has finally forced people to face up to France’s inequalities. Almost 1500 burning cars, and one dead person have placed the French Underclass back to the spotlight. In May 1968 10 million French workers rebelled in the Latin Quarter of Paris against the suppression of ethnic minorities and the working class. But since then, the public has conveniently overlooked, calls by North African immigrants, and the poor, to fight against their discrimination. The French President, Jacque Chirac, has threatened Parisian youth with mass arrests in the hope this will stop the riots from entering their 12th night. But French experts argue that the violence is not a one-off event, but a part of a bigger crisis, possibly – the modern French revolution. The Wire’s Hagar Cohen, has this report.