Violence in France still on, govt to take tougher action

Violence recurred in pockets of France four days after emergency measures were adopted by the state, prompting the Interior Minister Nicolas...

Violence recurred in pockets of France four days after emergency measures were adopted by the state, prompting the Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy to promise stringent action, including the expulsion of foreigners involved in 17 nights of violence.

Paris is still calm, though security around the landmarks Eiffel Tower, Champs Elysees were tightened. Across the country, the situation appeared calm.

In France, youth burned 374 vehicles and 212 people were taken into custody overnight. In central Lyon, police used tear-gas to disperse youth in Bellecour. Two people were arrested. This was the first time police and rioters clashed in a city centre. In Carpentras, a burning car was pushed into an old people’s home, causing panic, police said.

The worst unrest to hit France in 40 years has given a new twist to rivalries in the run-up to presidential elections in 2007, in which Sarkozy is seen as a possible candidate along with Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin.