Fragile, pious railway commuter sparks rioting of fragile, pious "youths"
Gare du Nord in Paris evacuated after riot
Mar 27 06:54 PM US/Eastern
Mar 27 06:54 PM US/Eastern
French police were forced to evacuate a major Paris subway station on Tuesday after
a row over a ticket at the Gare du Nord station descended into a riot. 
Officers arrested at least nine people and two others were injured when about 100 "youths" clashed with police at the station, where the mainline Eurostar terminal is a major gateway from Paris to the rest of Europe.
Dozens of rioters attacked windows, vending machines and shops in the main hall of the subway station for several hours before police dispersed the crowd late on Tuesday using tear-gas.
The trouble started when a 33-year-old without a ticket jumped the barriers in the subway station and was stopped by railway officials, police said. He tried to resist and is accused of injuring two officials.
Police patrolling the station intervened and arrested him.
However, several young people who witnessed the incident began to gather in protest against what they perceived to be the use of excessive force by police. The passenger was evacuated from the station but the crowd grew.
Some began throwing plastic bottles at police and shouted insults at Nicolas Sarkozy, the former interior minister. They also chanted slogans of "police are everywhere, justice is nowhere" and "down with the state, police and bosses".
Police reinforcements soon arrived and by late Tuesday most of the crowd had been forced outside or onto the platforms.
In autumn 2005, "youths" and police clashed every night for three weeks in France's worst riots for decades.
Sarkozy, who left the government on Monday to run for the presidency, was accused of provoking the rioters by calling them "scum".
Officers arrested at least nine people and two others were injured when about 100 "youths" clashed with police at the station, where the mainline Eurostar terminal is a major gateway from Paris to the rest of Europe.
Dozens of rioters attacked windows, vending machines and shops in the main hall of the subway station for several hours before police dispersed the crowd late on Tuesday using tear-gas.
The trouble started when a 33-year-old without a ticket jumped the barriers in the subway station and was stopped by railway officials, police said. He tried to resist and is accused of injuring two officials.
Police patrolling the station intervened and arrested him.
However, several young people who witnessed the incident began to gather in protest against what they perceived to be the use of excessive force by police. The passenger was evacuated from the station but the crowd grew.
Some began throwing plastic bottles at police and shouted insults at Nicolas Sarkozy, the former interior minister. They also chanted slogans of "police are everywhere, justice is nowhere" and "down with the state, police and bosses".
Police reinforcements soon arrived and by late Tuesday most of the crowd had been forced outside or onto the platforms.
In autumn 2005, "youths" and police clashed every night for three weeks in France's worst riots for decades.
Sarkozy, who left the government on Monday to run for the presidency, was accused of provoking the rioters by calling them "scum".
**
Clashes erupt at Paris' Gare du Nord
Tue Mar 27, 3:39 PM ET
PARIS - Riot police firing tear gas and brandishing batons clashed Tuesday with bands of "youths" who shattered windows and looted shops at a major Paris train station, and
officials said seven people were arrested.
Officers and police dogs charged at groups of marauding "youths", some of them wearing hoods, who mingled with commuters and travelers at the Gare du Nord — one of Paris' most important transport hubs.
Some of the "youths" threw trash cans and other objects at the officers, who responded by firing tear gas.
One woman was evacuated by paramedics for inhalation of tear gas.
The clashes began in midafternoon, and forced the closure of the station's subway and commuter lines for several hours. The station's long-distance rail hub and Eurostar terminal, which is attached to the subway station, remained open throughout.
They started after a man without a Metro ticket punched two inspectors during a routine ticket check, said officials from Paris' RATP public transport authority. "Youths" also attacked the inspectors and later turned on police patrolling the station, officials said.
"The inspectors were hit with projectiles, as were the officers who came to assist them," said Luc Poignant, an official for the Force Ouvriere police union.
A standoff ensued between officers and some 100 "youths".
Tue Mar 27, 3:39 PM ET
PARIS - Riot police firing tear gas and brandishing batons clashed Tuesday with bands of "youths" who shattered windows and looted shops at a major Paris train station, and
officials said seven people were arrested.Officers and police dogs charged at groups of marauding "youths", some of them wearing hoods, who mingled with commuters and travelers at the Gare du Nord — one of Paris' most important transport hubs.
Some of the "youths" threw trash cans and other objects at the officers, who responded by firing tear gas.
One woman was evacuated by paramedics for inhalation of tear gas.
The clashes began in midafternoon, and forced the closure of the station's subway and commuter lines for several hours. The station's long-distance rail hub and Eurostar terminal, which is attached to the subway station, remained open throughout.
They started after a man without a Metro ticket punched two inspectors during a routine ticket check, said officials from Paris' RATP public transport authority. "Youths" also attacked the inspectors and later turned on police patrolling the station, officials said.
"The inspectors were hit with projectiles, as were the officers who came to assist them," said Luc Poignant, an official for the Force Ouvriere police union.
A standoff ensued between officers and some 100 "youths".
posted by jillosophy at 3/28/2007 09:55:00 AM
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