So far, more than 3,000 people have been detained, with the violence accompanied by widespread arson, looting and vandalism. Hundreds of police and firefighters have been injured in the worst social upheaval in the country for years. The unleashing of violence and fury on such a scale reflects the wider problems in French society, such as poverty, joblessness and increasing social alienation. By the end of 2020, there were 10 million French people living in poverty, which was eight times more than in 1980. The jobless rate among immigrants reached 12.9 percent in France in 2020, compared with 7.4 percent for non-immigrants.

Source: The North Africa Journal July 03, 2023 12:04 UTC