Gangs ambush cops

last updated 8 January 2015

Paris

As the anniversary of last year’s ethnic riots approaches, French suburban youths have been luring police to isolated spots and attacking them. Gangs of mostly immigrant kids from the housing projects outside Paris rioted for weeks last year, burning cars and breaking windows, after one teenager was killed fleeing from police. Police officials say that in the intervening year, the gangs have become more organized, and their violence is now directed at people rather than property. “First, it was a rock here or there. Then it was rocks by the dozen. Now, they’re leading operations of an almost military sort to trap us,” said Loic Lecouplier, a police union official. “These are acts of war.”