Actually, I think the figure was 40 yesterday already, starting with that commissioner who was beaten - ribs and bones in the face broken - when reaching out to the Youths™ to negociate, hé.Dozens of French police were seriously injured by rioters last night as President Nicolas Sarkozy appealed for calm. At least 30 officers had received treatment in the northern Paris suburb of Villiers-le-Bel, as they were attacked by hooded Youths™ clutching metal bars and baseball bats.
The mob took to the streets following the death of two teenagers in a road accident involving a police car. Molotov Cocktails were thrown, with another police car exploding in flames. Cars and wheelie-bins were also set on fire, with Youths™ continually pelting CRS riot squads with missiles.
The police responded with tear gas canisters, baton charges, and paint bombs to identify rioters.
"It's a hugely dangerous situation," said one officer. "It appears that these Youths™ want to kill us."
Some Youths™ tried to pull down cables leading to street lamps, so as to black out the area. A public library was among the buildings set alight.
The clashes broke out after two teenagers were killed when the motorcycle they were driving collided with a police car. It was in Villiers-le-Bel that, on Sunday evening, officers were accused of driving into the 15 and 16-years-old, who were on a stolen motorbike, before the officers allegedly fled the scene without tending to the Youths™.
Prolly because they couldn't stand the soon-to-come warmness and happiness of the crowd that was very soon going to form. Shy people.
Speaking on a trip to Beijing, Mr Sarkozy called for "all sides to calm down and for the judiciary to decide who bears responsibility."
Both teenagers were from immigrant backgrounds, and their families claim the police deliberately targeted them.
Pontoise public prosecutor Marie-Thérèse de Givry ordered an investigation for "involuntary manslaughter and failure to assist persons in danger."
Omar Sehhouli, brother of one of the victims, said: 'It is 100-per cent a police blunder. They know it, and that's why the police did not stay at the scene.
"I know they will say they left because they were afraid of clashes or of being assaulted but up until now we have had no apology from the police chief."
A few more details, though this appears to be a yesterday's article (the above was updated 27th 1 am) :
At least 40 French police were hurt late on Monday in running battles with scores of rioters in a suburb north of Paris where two youths died after a crash involving a police car. During a second night of disturbances in Villiers-le-Bel and nearby areas, a local government official said one policeman was shot in the shoulder by some kind of firearm but was only slightly wounded.
A garbage truck and a police vehicle were among at least 36 vehicles torched late at night in the Val d'Oise area that includes Villiers and nearby districts also hit by the unrest, police and local officials said. A Reuters witness said police were pelted with stones, petrol bombs and large firecrackers that exploded over their heads during hours of cat-and-mouse skirmishes with rioters.
Police replied with tear gas, rubber bullets and paint guns designed to identify troublemakers. Spent cartridges and rocks thrown by rioters littered the streets. Injured officers were given treatment in a local fire station used by police as a base. One, his face bloodied, had his arm in a sling. Officials said 40 officers were slightly hurt, though three officers needed hospital treatment.
Local mayor Didier Vaillant, who had earlier called for calm, said airguns had been fired at police. "It looks like it's going to be a long night," he said.
My take is this is a mistranslation, from an already dumbed-down description; during the 2005 riots, the french msm kept talking about the pistolets à grenaille fired against the police, that is, handguns replica that fire small caliber (ca 8mm/.32) cartridges filled with birdshot, dangerous at contact range, but certainly not lethal... except that while the commenter said that, the policemen on screen usually held Ye Olde 12 gauge spent shells... Not the same thing...