The Daily Mail is reporting that "far left" elements in France rioted after word came out that Nicolas Sarkozy won the election. This was, of course, widely expected. The Daily Mail kind of skirts the issue of whether "youths" rioted as well, mentioning them but not really saying whether they had been involved. Close to 400 cars were burned in the ruckus – a new French tradition, it seems.
Street violence took some of the shine off victory in the French elections for new president Nicolas Sarkozy.
Far-left activists had running battles with police across France as 270 people were taken in for questioning and 367 parked vehicles were torched
Riot police fired tear gas into a crowd gathered at the Place de la Bastille in Paris as news of Sarkozy's victory came through.
Small bands of youths hurled stones and other objects at police and bared their backsides at riot officers.
Other fights with the police broke out in Toulouse, Lyon, Rennes and Nantes.
Two police unions said firebombs targeted schools and recreation centres in several towns in the Essonne region just south of Paris.
It would be instructive to know which schools and recreation facilities were burned, no? Expect that information to never quite make the papers, though. It would also be instructive to know whether "youths" were involved. (Odds on, they were and likely a majority).
UPDATE: Whoopsie, busted already. The initial reports severely understated the extent of the violence and the carbonized car count. The actual number of toasted vehicles was more like 730 and, apparently, a LOT of "youths" were involved in the automotive flambé process (or in French, mettez à feu la Citroen).
“Far-left activists”–sounds like they don’t like (or believe in) democracy. “Our side can’t lose because we are correct in our beliefs–the election must have been stolen.”