France announces emergency measures

The French government imposed rarely used emergency laws yesterday to put riot-torn areas of the country under curfew in efforts to quell the worst unrest in decades.

After 12 days of violence by youths who have torched cars, schools and churches in protest against racism and unemployment, the government invoked a 1955 law on states of emergency that was used to curb unrest during Algeria's war of independence.

The decree was due to go into force at midnight. It allows emergency measures to be in force for 12 days and can restrict the movement of people and vehicles in areas where local government officials known as prefects declare a curfew.

The northern city of Amiens was the first to announce a curfew, saying unaccompanied youths would not be allowed to walk the streets of the city and neighbouring districts from midnight until 6 a.m. In coming days the curfew will start at 10 p.m.

"The Republic faces a moment of truth," Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin told the lower house of parliament.

"France is wounded. It cannot recognise itself in its streets and devastated areas, in these outbursts of hatred and violence which destroy and kill," he said.

Protests receded in the Paris region on Monday night after shots were fired at police the previous night, but continued unabated in other towns in the early hours of yesterday.

Nearly 1,200 vehicles were set ablaze during the night in violence that hit provincial cities including Strasbourg, Lille and Toulouse.

More than 5,000 cars have now been set on fire during the 12 days of unrest and more than 1,500 people have been detained, some of them white youngsters but many of them of Arab and African origin.

Mr Villepin said 1,500 police would be brought in to back up the 8,000 officers already deployed in areas hit by violence, widely seen as the most serious unrest since protests in 1968.

"We see these events as a warning and as an appeal," Mr Villepin said. "A return to order is the absolute priority. The government has shown this. It will take all the steps necessary to ensure the protection of our citizens and to restore calm," he said.

The violence, which began when two youths were accidentally electrocuted fleeing police in a Paris suburb on October 27, has undermined France's efforts to portray itself as a society based on equality for everyone.

It has also put fierce pressure on Mr Villepin and President Jacques Chirac.

Five cars were torched in Brussels during the night in what officials say could have been copycat attacks, but the rioting has not spread beyond France's borders.

Even so, fears of riots erupting in other countries helped push down the value of the euro, which at one point hit a two-year low against the dollar. French officials also fear investment and tourism will be hit by the violence.