Aurélie Mole

Newspoint : urban violence in France

The urban violence taking place in France since two weeks is reported by British newspapers and gives rise to many comments and interrogations.

The starting point of the violence in French suburbs was the accidental death of two minors, who were thought to be hiding from the police. The striking declarations of the French Interior minister Nicolas Sarkozy after the beginning of the riots and car burning set fire to powder in French poor suburbs.

British journalists see this event and the large powers used by the French authority as the symbol of the failure of the French system of integration. Journalists are wondering about the causes of this violence, its legitimacy and if it could extend to the whole of Europe.

The BBC News website reported on the 8^th of November the use of “New powers to tackle French riots”. The article only made a general overview of the event and provided the reader with figures. No real explanation of the event was given or thought of. However, there was a short explanation about the use if a 1955 Law which allows the government to implement curfew powers and to restrict some civil rights in order to restore and maintain law and order.

The Guardian Unlimited gave a more comprehensive view of the event. On the 8^th of November, the title of an article was “France introduces emergency laws”. It gave a more thorough explanation on the possible reasons for these riots. “The violence is forcing France to confront anger that has been building for decades in neglected suburbs and among the French-born children of Arab and African immigrants”.

The reporter exaggerated when he stated that the unrest was the worst in terms of destruction since World War II. The student protests of May 1968 are a more likely comparison.

Between the 14^th and the 16^th of November, a debate rose in the newspaper about the legitimacy of the use of violence and the struggle for progress to obtain equality. Non-violence was also thought of to solve the problems. We can remember the historical examples of M.L.King or Ghandi to obtain civil rights and recognition.

The Telegraph News goes further in the analysis with its article “Violence exposes the myth of integration”, published on the 8^th of November. It deals with the failing of integration of immigrants in France. In the issue of the 15^th of November, the author is even more pessimist with the article “Bicultural Europe is doomed.” The journalist believes that we do not deal in Europe with multiculturalism but with biculturalism. There is only us and the other. The confrontation is stronger. Moreover, it is getting less and less clear who is the majority and who is the minority. Politics then becomes tribal.

What was the message sent with the implementation of the law of 1955 and its prorogation for 3 months (allowed by a law voted in Parliament)? How was it perceived by the French population overall?

What is the legitimacy of violent action? Do the rioters have a message to deliver? Are they controlled by more or mess occult groups?

Can we say that the French integration model has failed?