TRAPPES, France — Riot police yesterday patrolled Paris’ western suburbs, where cars were torched and a police station was attacked in protest of France’s ban on Muslim face veils.
Some 20 cars were set ablaze overnight and four people were detained in the town of Elancourt’s second consecutive night of unrest, officials said.
Fewer protesters showed up this time, but 250 clashed with police in the nearby town of Trappes.
Interior Minister Manuel Valls said extra police officers will remain deployed in the area until calm returns.
The violence evoked memories of weeks of car torchings in 2005 in neglected neighborhoods nationwide. That was sparked by the death of two teens electrocuted while hiding from police. Many rioters were unemployed young immigrants unleashing pent-up frustrations on public property.
Friday’s violence began when a police officer ticketed a woman for wearing a face veil in public and her husband tried to strangle the officer. The veils have been banned since 2011.