Chinese Protest, French Soccer Disgrace, Cars Burnt, Stabbings, Fires, Facebook Picnics Banned... Just a Normal Weekend in France

As usual, there is more news tumbling "off the presses" than I can absorb, let alone condense, translate, and pass on to others in a readable form. I hope everyone has some other sources. This has been another wild weekend in France. Many acts of urban violence - car burnings, confrontations with the police, stabbings, fires, etc... Not to mention the reactions to two soccer losses - France lost to Mexico on Thursday, and Algeria and England tied at 0-0 on Friday, which is tantamount to a loss for Algeria.

The "French" soccer team could not care less about the loss: they didn't want to win, it appears, because they hate France so much they take pleasure in disgracing the team. The coach, Raymond Domenech, is responsible for putting together this team, and he is reaping what he sowed. A French team should be French, that's all. A key player of the French team Nicolas Anelka grossly insulted Domenech at half-time during the game with Mexico and was kicked off the team. His words have been printed in papers all over France: "Go f... yourself, filthy son of a ...!" Soccer has become a weapon in the on-going racial war in France. The game is nothing more than an opportunity for non-French Frenchmen who hate France to show their hatred.

French writer Alain Finkielkraut has called the French soccer team a gang of thugs.

In the Goutte-d'Or section of Paris where the Apéro was to be held, six cars were burned, four others damaged by fire. Hundreds of people gathered at the subway stop Barbès-Rochechouart after the soccer match between Algeria and England.

There were many repercussions from the sausage and wine Apéro on Friday June 18, and countless articles at Riposte Laïque and elsewhere. According to RL, there is now a ban on ALL sausage and wine picnics organized on Facebook, throughout ALL of France, as of June 19, 2010. But according to Le Parisien, it applies only to Paris:

If a picnic for more than 30 persons is organized, special authorization will be needed.

I have to research this topic, and will try to report ASAP.

I cannot convey all the news, but here is the lead article at François Desouche tonight (Sunday):

The Chinese residents of Paris demonstrated on Sunday against acts of violence by Arabs. There was a huge turnout - 8500 people according to the police, (over 10,000 according to Novopress), in the neighborhood of Belleville, in East Paris, the largest demonstration by Asians ever organized in France. The organizers of the demonstration spoke of a "growing climate of insecurity". Included among the demonstrators was the adopted daughter of Jacques Chirac - Anh, Dao Traxel of Vietnamese origin. There are an estimated 600,000 - 700,000 Asian residents in France, most of them in Paris and its suburbs.

However, the rally turned violent when, according to one demonstrator:

"Someone stole a Chinese lady's purse. The Chinese caught him, and alerted the police, who let him go. We are not violent, but it was too much."

At 7:30 p.m. young Chinese were still throwing glass bottles at the mobile gendarmes, lined up with their shields, who threw tear gas in turn. Earlier, the gendarmes had been targets of the demonstrators, some of whom threw tables and chairs taken from the La Vielleuse Bar.

Another report adds these details:

"Stop the violence, We want to live in security. We've had enough of these attacks. Respect for all." These words were written on tee-shirts, caps, and banners.

"There are too many people attacked by Arabs. They grab purses, they break shop windows, we no longer feel safe," cried out a young demonstrator as gongs and drums sounded.

According to Philippe Costa, president of the France-China Club, elected officials have demonstrated their inability to deal with crime in this multicultural neighborhood. "Many people won't come into Belleville from fear of attacks. Those who live there and work there are easy targets, because a lot of money circulates. We are asking for surveillance cameras. We do not want any more thugs in Belleville."

A spokesman for the Chinese associations says that the Chinese community can no longer keep silent. "It is not usual for Asians to demonstrate, but this has been going on for 20 years. Everybody passes the buck. This is a neighborhood that borders on four arrondissements."

Note: Paris seems to be dividing up, fragmenting into livable and non livable areas, with the livable areas slowly but surely giving way.

Sources:

20 Minutes

Rue 89

RFI

Riposte Laïque

Le Parisien

Le Parisien

Click here for a slide show of scenes from the Asian demonstration.

French readers may be interested in the arguments at this Chinese forum, where a Chinese girl described the constant danger for Asians who live or work in Belleville from attacks by Arabs and blacks. Her racial explicitness provoked accusations of racism from other participants. Her initial comment has now been modified by the web administrators, and racial references removed.

Here is how her cleaned-up comments begin now:

The Chinese can no longer live in France. they are burgled, robbed, stripped, as soon as they go out. They cannot even eat in restaurants in the evening without coming upon these thieves who take their money. They cannot live in peace. These acts are not only inhuman but racist as well since the Chinese are the main victims, but are unfortunately too discreet to speak up...

I'm sorry now I didn't download the original comment. However, French readers will have a good idea of what she said by reading through the other comments.