I think that they - and you - can relax.
A couple of years ago I watched French firemen rioting in Paris. They were fighting the police hand-to-hand, with sticks, and with anything they could pull off nearby buildings. And using their firehoses as water cannon against the police. The the police got out A Serious Water Cannon. No girly weapon, that.
I'm not entirely sure what they were protesting about, perhaps they were on strike. It was extraordinary to watch, especially when you compare it to here, where firemen are reasonably cuddly and even in the most interesting strikes all you get are three blokes standing around a brazier looking uncomfortable.
I'm marginally more understanding of the US reaction today, having heard a bunch of examples of US reporting of the riots on the radio this morning. It was pretty hysterical and over-stated. And focused without exception on the supposed religion of the rioters. They were uniformly referred to as 'young Muslims' or 'French Muslims'. Rather than presenting the violence in the context of French history, or even its similarities to Britain in the '80s, it sounded far more like religious insurrection.
Unless you're stupid enough to wander into a banlieu when the rioting is actually happening or do/ say something offensive whilst in the banlieu, you'll be OK. It's rather like Northern Ireland: the first time I went there I was nervous. But I quickly discovered that 99% of the people are quite nice and that, unless you wander into somewhere like Derry's Bogside district during a riot or wear an orange sash and shout "God hates Taigs and the IRA are a bunch of wee girls" there, you'll be fine.
A couple of years ago I watched French firemen rioting in Paris. They were fighting the police hand-to-hand, with sticks, and with anything they could pull off nearby buildings. And using their firehoses as water cannon against the police. The the police got out A Serious Water Cannon. No girly weapon, that.
I'm not entirely sure what they were protesting about, perhaps they were on strike. It was extraordinary to watch, especially when you compare it to here, where firemen are reasonably cuddly and even in the most interesting strikes all you get are three blokes standing around a brazier looking uncomfortable.
I'm marginally more understanding of the US reaction today, having heard a bunch of examples of US reporting of the riots on the radio this morning. It was pretty hysterical and over-stated. And focused without exception on the supposed religion of the rioters. They were uniformly referred to as 'young Muslims' or 'French Muslims'. Rather than presenting the violence in the context of French history, or even its similarities to Britain in the '80s, it sounded far more like religious insurrection.
Unless you're stupid enough to wander into a banlieu when the rioting is actually happening or do/ say something offensive whilst in the banlieu, you'll be OK. It's rather like Northern Ireland: the first time I went there I was nervous. But I quickly discovered that 99% of the people are quite nice and that, unless you wander into somewhere like Derry's Bogside district during a riot or wear an orange sash and shout "God hates Taigs and the IRA are a bunch of wee girls" there, you'll be fine.
