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Dozens riot in Paris rail station | Dozens riot in Paris rail station |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Nine people have been arrested and two hurt after an argument over a ticket in a Paris metro station sparked riots. | Nine people have been arrested and two hurt after an argument over a ticket in a Paris metro station sparked riots. |
Police used tear gas to disperse up to 100 youths at the Gare du Nord, one of Paris' busiest stations. | |
Rioters smashed windows and attacked vending machines and shops, after objecting to the treatment of a man arrested for jumping a ticket barrier. | Rioters smashed windows and attacked vending machines and shops, after objecting to the treatment of a man arrested for jumping a ticket barrier. |
Interior Minister Francois Baroin labelled the events "unacceptable, intolerable violence". | Interior Minister Francois Baroin labelled the events "unacceptable, intolerable violence". |
"Nothing justifies what happened last night," he said. | "Nothing justifies what happened last night," he said. |
Chanting sloguns | Chanting sloguns |
France saw its most severe riots for decades in autumn 2005 amid simmering tensions in suburbs with large immigrant populations. | |
Presidential candidate Nicolas Sarkozy, who was interior minister at the time, caused controversy when he labelled the 2005 rioters "scum". | |
The youths who gathered in the Gare du Nord on Tuesday shouted insults about Mr Sarkozy. | The youths who gathered in the Gare du Nord on Tuesday shouted insults about Mr Sarkozy. |
They also chanted slogans of "police are everywhere, justice is nowhere" and "down with the state, police and bosses". | They also chanted slogans of "police are everywhere, justice is nowhere" and "down with the state, police and bosses". |
Officers took until midnight to clear rioters from the subway station's main hall. | Officers took until midnight to clear rioters from the subway station's main hall. |
Growing crowd | Growing crowd |
Meanwhile, tourists and commuters at the station - one of Paris's major transport hubs incorporating the Eurostar terminal - tiptoed through smashed glass and overturned rubbish bins. | Meanwhile, tourists and commuters at the station - one of Paris's major transport hubs incorporating the Eurostar terminal - tiptoed through smashed glass and overturned rubbish bins. |
The violence was sparked when a 33-year-old man without a ticket jumped over a barrier. | The violence was sparked when a 33-year-old man without a ticket jumped over a barrier. |
Transport officials said the man punched two ticket inspectors who asked for his ticket as part of a routine inspection. He was eventually arrested by police. | Transport officials said the man punched two ticket inspectors who asked for his ticket as part of a routine inspection. He was eventually arrested by police. |
But a growing crowd felt that the police had used excessive force to arrest the man, and their protest turned violent. | But a growing crowd felt that the police had used excessive force to arrest the man, and their protest turned violent. |
The riots spilled out into nearby streets, where rubbish bins and street signs were set on fire. | The riots spilled out into nearby streets, where rubbish bins and street signs were set on fire. |