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French police raid Tarterets housing estate near Paris

Thursday, 28 September 2006

French police raid Tarterets housing estate near Paris

Over 200 French police officers have raided the notoriously rough Tarterets housing estate near Paris where two policemen had been ambushed and badly beaten up last week.

Reports say that police held at least nine people on the estate in Corbeil-Essonnes, which is just south of Paris, when youths hurled bottles at them and French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy has vowed to catch "one by one" those responsible for the attack.

Only last year, rioting troubled Corbeil-Essonnes and other Paris suburbs.

Monday's raids were sparked by the assault on two riot policemen who were on patrol in Corbeil-Essonnes last Wednesday when a hail of stones prompted one of the police officers to leave his car to investigate.

The officer was then attacked and badly beaten by a gang of youths who were hiding in bushes.

His colleague rushed to help and was then also attacked.

Both policemen suffered multiple injuries and police unions expressed their anger over the attack.

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