Paris bans weekend gatherings, fearing new riots

PARIS - Police banned any gathering that might provoke disorder in Paris this weekend, saying they had been warned violence was planned after two weeks of rioting across France.

The intensity of France's most serious unrest in four decades has dropped since President Jacques Chirac's government adopted emergency measures including curfews to curb unrest by youngsters complaining of racism and unemployment.

But there was a rise in violence in suburbs of the capital overnight. Police said 463 vehicles were set on fire across France, a slight fall from the previous night, but the number of vehicles torched in the areas around Paris rose from 84 to 111.

"This confirms the downward trend overall, with some resistance in the Paris region," national police chief Michel Gaudin told reporters. "This weekend we will exercise extra vigilance in the Paris region." Police said the Paris ban would run from 10am (10.00pm NZT) on Saturday to 8am (8.00pm NZT) on Sunday.

Some 3,000 police officers were mobilised in the capital, and forces were increased in other French cities, police said.

Bomb squads with police dogs were out in force and riot police looked on as Chirac attended remembrance ceremonies at the Arc de Triomphe in central Paris to commemorate Armistice Day, which marks the end of World War I in 1918.

The unrest has eased from a peak on Sunday night. Police hope it will continue to drop during the Armistice Day weekend, when offices close and city centres are less crowded.

Some 200-300 residents of riot-torn suburbs staged a peace protest by the Eiffel Tower in central Paris, calling for an end to violence and urging the government to listen to the angry youths. Fewer people showed up than expected.

Protesters held up banners declaring "Yes to peace" and "No to violence". "I am against the violence but I think the government must react to the poverty in the suburbs," said Adama Drame, a 24-year-old Frenchman of African origins.

Paris police chief Pierre Mutz banned the transport and purchase of petrol in jerry cans after a string of arrests in the capital of people carrying firebombs. He also says he fears violence is being planned in the capital itself.

"Calls have been launched over the past few days on internet sites and by SMS messages urging meetings within Paris and calling for 'violent actions'," Mutz's office said.

Violence in the Paris area has been largely confined to the suburban housing estates far from the city centre. The rioters are youngsters who say they are angered by racism, high unemployment, poor prospects and harsh treatment by police.

In the capital itself, life has continued as usual.

Chirac and the government have been heavily criticised over their handling of the crisis. But an opinion poll carried out by the BVA research group on November 4-5, showed 56 per cent of French people approved of Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy's tough actions.

Fears that the violence would spread across Europe have proved unfounded, despite isolated cases of youths burning cars in Germany and Belgium.

In Greece, groups of anarchists broke windows, threw paint and spray-painted "Rioters Are Right" on the front of a French cultural institute, police said on Friday.

Violence in France fell after the emergency powers announced by Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin allowed local officials to impose night curfews, though few have felt the need to do so.

Police said 201 people had been detained overnight but unrest was more scattered than on previous nights. Cars were set on fire in Toulouse, Marseille, Strasbourg and Mulhouse.

- REUTERS