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French youth in the Paris suburb Bagnolet clash with police

Thursday, 13 August 2009

French youth in the Paris suburb Bagnolet clash with police

French youths in the Paris suburb of Bagnolet have clashed with riot police following the death of a young motorcyclist who was trying to flee from police on Sunday.

In their defence the police have responded claiming the 18-year-old pizza delivery man was killed because he collided with a metal barrier, but witnesses in the area allege that he was hit by a police vehicle.

Protesting youth threw stones at police and set fire to a number of cars.

French Interior Minister Brice Hortefeux had issued an appeal for people to stay calm but he was ignored. The minister has called for an internal police investigation into the death of the motorcyclist.

The administrative centre of the Bagnolet area said that the situation was now under control and added that a number of arrests have been made.

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