I wonder if there will be additional security in Paris around the major tourist attractions. Does anybody know who is familiar with the situation first hand?

The always critical French are now reaping the harvest of their unrealistic (read tax structure)financial and social policies.
M

Yesterday in the news I heard a travel advisory was issued for Americans in France.

""Nothing seems to be able to stop the civil war that spreads a bit more every day across the whole country," the Action Police CFTC union said. "The events we're living through now are without precedent since the end of the Second World War."

http://reuters.myway.com/article/200...-RIOTS-DC.html

I contacted a couple of hotels that I reserved for an upcoming trip. Both reported that everything is still the same in central Paris and insist it's the suburbs that has all the troubles. And I do not believe they're saying this so that guests don't cancel.

1992 LA race riots - 53 dead, 2000 injured, $1 Billion in destruction, violence spread to many other US cities.
3,600 fires set, 1,100 buildings destroyed, About 10,000 people arrested.

1967 newark race riot, 23 dead, 725 injured, 1500 arrested, $10 million damages.

Detroit 1967 - 43 dead, 1,189 injured, 7,000 arrested, and more than 1,400 buildings burned. $22 million in damages.

Chicago 1919 - race riot- 38 dead, 537 injured and 1000 left homeless.

1921 Tulsa race riot - 300 dead 1,256 homes destroyed

1969 - race riot KL, malaysia - 184 dead

1964 Watts- 34 people dead, 1,100 people injured, 4,000 people arrested, $100 million in damages.

let's keep this in perspective. unfortunately this is not the first race riot nor will it be the last. of course this anything can happen and noone knows but talk of civil war is a little premature i think.

The best way to end this is to pull police off the streets - it is just agitating the rioters. Pull the police and they will eventually get bored and stop.

Z12Go,

"Pull the police off the streets -- and they will eventually get bored and stop."

That's INSANE! What do you suppose the rioters will do between the time the police leave and the idiots get bored with burning cars and people, and looting stores? "Hey, look, guys no cops! Let's go downtown and blow off one of the legs on the Eiffel Tower -- see what happens."

Whatever they do (or don't do), the French authorities must keep the rioters away from the nuclear power plants in France. That should be non-negotiable (or debatable).

Pauley,

That is one thing that we need not worry about. I was involved (a long time ago, it's true) in liaison with EDF on security of nuclear power plants. The French have their priorities straight --- NOBODY, partiularly an ill-armed rabble, has ANY chance of compromising the safety of one of their faciities.

Period.

If it was a choice between someone's life and the Eiffel Tower, I think we would all rather preserve someone's life. Putting police on the street just raises the level of tension and leads to the loss of life.

As far as the nuclear plants, maybe it will make France realize they should be decommisioned.

if it's one good thing that can come of this it is education for this forum. for years europhiles here have been lecturing us that france is a model of harmony, tolerance and respect for people....blissfully ignorant while sipping wine in a cafe or relaxing in the pretty hills of dordogne.

i also love france and all its charms but it is often like these people are talking about a totally different country as compared to reality.

I live in Paris, and the discrepancy between what is being portrayed abroad and what we see and hear around us (nothing) in central Paris is astonishing. We have friends arriving for a visit this weekend. We are advising them to take the Air France car (it's closer to where we live anyway) rather than the RER from the airport, and I think we'll stay away from Chatelet/Les Halles metro stop at night, but those are two precautions we'd advise people to take anyway.

We live on the edge of central Paris near a soccer stadium. A few nights ago, a game ended late and we watched outside to see whether the crowds would be unruly or whether the security presence would be higher. Nada. People were talking loudly, but we saw police and nothing untoward.

Leaving aside the politics of the French government's response to serious problem, as a practical matter, the risk of visiting here is not appreciably higher than it was a few weeks ago. You face a much greater risk of being hit by a car turning right on a red light ...

Cocofromdijon,

Corinne, we here are concerned about the France we love, of course, but on a personal note, Tammy and I are concerned about about you and your family. We have read that there has been trouble near Dijon, and we also know that your husband is a policeman -- perhaps having to confront these thugs.

We hope for his well being and a swift resolution to these troubles.

Dick & Tammy

hi Dick and thank you for your concern (I was surprised to see my name mentioned in a Paris riots post!)
There have been problems in a quiet area in the north of Dijon Someone set fire in a underground car park of a building, families (150pers.) were in the street at 3am and they spent a few hours in buses
Everybody here is very surprised to see it happens in a quiet area.
I think maybe someone is taking advantage of Dijon riots to get revenge of something. We all hope they will be arrested. People could have been killed. Until now it was "only" cars burnt in the street in the banlieues chaudes of Dijon. (and it happened before..)

Concerning Dijon center, everything is quiet, life goes on as usual. Yesterday I went to the flat to check it and spent sometime in town ( with a friend I went again to the restaurant "la femme du boulanger" which makes "tartines" remember? ;-)) and walked around because I like Dijon so much and I didn't see anything suspect, no more policemen, nothing special at all.
Thank you for my DH but don't worry for him, he has nothing to do with that riots, he shouldn't go there except maybe if there was a civil war. (and I'm not even sure because there would be the army instead)I'm glad he took the motorbike section in the police nationale...(which is different from police urbaine or city police)it is a bit difficult for me to explain it in English! sorry!
What about your funny emails? I'm waiting! I'm sorry you don't read French because I was sent some very funny.
Have a great day (are you going to bed or already up?
coco

Bonjour coco, I was going to email you but now I see Dick has and happy to hear you are fine.

Bonsoir mimi et merci! I'm deeply moved by your concern, c'est très gentil!
à bientot
coco

I am indeed in Paris, and it is business as usual; Parisians find out about the problems by watching TV, just like everyone else.

thanks, kate and anthony.

guess i've got to keep buying things for the trip!

For those who live in France, will this improve relations or make them more strained?