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Roma teenager in coma after being attacked by residents of French estate Roma teenager in coma after being attacked by residents of French estate
(34 minutes later)
A Roma teenager is in a coma in hospital after being attacked by angry residents of a French housing estate who accused him of breaking into an apartment.A Roma teenager is in a coma in hospital after being attacked by angry residents of a French housing estate who accused him of breaking into an apartment.
The 16-year-old was found badly beaten and left in a supermarket trolley near the nationale 1 motorway in the Seine-Saint-Denis area late on Friday. The 16-year-old was found badly beaten in a supermarket trolley where he had been left near the nationale 1 motorway in the Seine-Saint-Denis area late on Friday.
Anti-racism organisations say there is a disturbing increase in violence against Roma and called on the authorities to condemn the attacks.Anti-racism organisations say there is a disturbing increase in violence against Roma and called on the authorities to condemn the attacks.
The European Grassroots Anti-racist Movement (Egam) president, Benjamin Abtan, said: "There are racist insults and attacks against the Roma that are being used with increasing frequency. We are waiting for a radical change in the way this is being addressed and an extremely clear condemnation of the violence."The European Grassroots Anti-racist Movement (Egam) president, Benjamin Abtan, said: "There are racist insults and attacks against the Roma that are being used with increasing frequency. We are waiting for a radical change in the way this is being addressed and an extremely clear condemnation of the violence."
President François Hollande called the attack "unspeakable and unjustifiable". In a statement he said "all efforts should be made to find the perpetrators of this attack". The French president, François Hollande, called the attack "unspeakable and unjustifiable". In a statement he said: "All efforts should be made to find the perpetrators of this attack."
According to police, the latest victim was dragged out of his unofficial camp by a dozen locals, who accused him of breaking into a nearby flat earlier on Friday. The group took the youngster to a cellar and beat him. "A group of several people went to find him in the camp and took him by force," a police officer told Le Monde.According to police, the latest victim was dragged out of his unofficial camp by a dozen locals, who accused him of breaking into a nearby flat earlier on Friday. The group took the youngster to a cellar and beat him. "A group of several people went to find him in the camp and took him by force," a police officer told Le Monde.
The teenager's mother alerted the police, who found him severely injured and unconscious shortly before midnight. The victim was taken to hospital where his condition is said to be critical. He had reportedly been put in a medically-induced coma because he was in so much pain. The teenager's mother alerted the police, who found him severely injured and unconscious shortly before midnight. The victim was taken to hospital where his condition is said to be critical. He had reportedly been put in a medically induced coma because he was in so much pain.
Police said the youth was known to them, while the local mayor, Michel Fourcade, said the victim had been arrested several times in the previous fortnight after a number of cars in the area were broken into.Police said the youth was known to them, while the local mayor, Michel Fourcade, said the victim had been arrested several times in the previous fortnight after a number of cars in the area were broken into.
SOS Racism said the attack on the youth was caused by the "alarming" change in attitudes towards Roma, which it added: "is the clear result of the disgusting tensions into which our citizens have been plunged". SOS Racism said the attack on the boy was caused by an "alarming" change in attitudes towards Roma, which it added was "the clear result of the disgusting tensions into which our citizens have been plunged".
In February, the case against a 40-year-old man accused of throwing a mixture of bleach and cleaning fluid at Roma living near the Place de la République in central Paris was dismissed by a French judge for lack of evidence.In February, the case against a 40-year-old man accused of throwing a mixture of bleach and cleaning fluid at Roma living near the Place de la République in central Paris was dismissed by a French judge for lack of evidence.
In May 2013, several gypsy families were attacked at a campsite in the north of France and in October 2012, locals drove a group Roma out of an improvised encampment and burned everything that remained. The locals had warned police they would be taking action against the 35 Roma. In May 2013 several Gypsy families were attacked at a campsite in the north of France, and in October 2012 locals drove a group Roma out of an improvised encampment and burned everything that remained. The locals had warned police they would be taking action against the 35 Roma.
Last year the EU warned France it could face sanctions over the treatment of its Roma community after the then interior minister Manuel Valls, now prime minister, suggested the majority should be deported and that France was "not here to welcome these populations". Last year the EU warned France it could face sanctions over the treatment of its Roma community after the then interior minister, Manuel Valls, now prime minister, suggested the majority should be deported and that France was "not here to welcome these populations".
European commission spokesman Olivier Bailly said that Roma, like all EU citizens, "have the freedom to circulate freely in all member states of the EU and to live in a country other than their country of origin". The European commission spokesman Olivier Bailly said that Roma, like all EU citizens, had "the freedom to circulate freely in all member states of the EU and to live in a country other than their country of origin".