Sarkozy vows more help for police in French riots

France’s interior minister has been meeting members of the security forces to pledge support for the crackdown on youth violence in a Paris suburb. Nicolas Sarkozy, a presidential hopeful, said police vehicles would be fitted with cameras and that local politicians would discuss how to develop video surveillance systems.

The deprived area of Clichy-sous-Bois on the outskirts of the capital has been rocked by a fourth night of unrest. The rioting was originally sparked by the death of two teenagers in an electricity sub-station while they were apparently fleeing police. Fanning tensions between the authorities and the suburb’s large immigrant population was an incident last night in which tear gas was fired into a mosque. The circumstances are unclear, but the government has vowed to find out what happened. Six police officers were hurt and 11 people were arrested in the violence. While mourning the youths who were electrocuted, locals have denounced the rioting that followed.