# Militants attack mosque in bid to reignite French riots

### By John Lichfield in Paris

#### Published: 12 November 2005

Molotov cocktails were hurled at a mosque in southern France last night in an apparent attempt by far-right militants to reignite the smouldering embers of a fortnight of urban riots.

Earlier, the Paris police of chief ordered a ban on all large gatherings in the French capital from 10am today, following a series of internet appeals to young, multi-racial suburban rioters to invade the centre of the city.

Although police say that they have no definite warning of an assault on the capital, police reinforcements have been assembled and "potentially troublesome" gatherings banned as a precaution.

Both the attack on the mosque in Carpentras in the Rhone valley - a known hot-bed of ultra-right activity - and the internet calls for an attack on Paris run contrary to a clear reduction in the level of violence over the last four nights. It appears that there some militant elements would like to see the violence continue.

The French authorities also made it clear yesterday that they would take a harsh line with violent police officers. One policeman was placed in custody and four others put under investigation following the alleged assault on a 19-year-old alleged rioter in police custody at la Courneuve near Paris onThursday. Police unions reacted furiosly to the decision.

Yesterday afternoon, 300 residents of troubled suburbs of Paris demonstrated against violence on the Champ de Mars, close to the Eiffel Tower. The multi-racial demonstrators, carrying white handkerchiefs or flags, urged the gangs, who have left a trail of arson and destruction in poor suburbs all over France in the past fortnight, to bring their violence to an end.

However, the demonstrators, organised by a group called Banlieue Respect (respect for the suburbs), also urged the government and wealthier French citizens to heed the warnings of the past two weeks.

The riots "express the frustrations of 30 years of denial or recognition to [people] who are French by law but treated in reality as second-class citizens," read a statement issued by the marchers.

Although the attack on the mosque in Carpentras, during Friday prayers, caused no injuries, it was clearly intended to provoke the rioters. Many, but by no means all, of the youths who have rioted in the past two weeks come from Muslim backgrounds.

The Interior Minister, Nicolas Sarkozy, described the attack on the mosque as "discraceful and utterly unacceptable". He sent a message of regret to the Muslim community in Carpentras.

For the past three nights, there has been a marked reduction in the level of rioting across France. Poorer districts in the Lyons, Toulouse and Bordeaux conurbations continued to be hit by arson attacks and clashes between rioters and police last night. However, the greater Paris area, where the riots began more than two weeks ago, was once again relatively calm.

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