“Paris Stays Calm Despite Fears of Violence,” from AP, with thanks to JE:
PARIS – The French capital was calm overnight, with authorities reporting on Sunday almost no urban violence despite fears of a rampage that had prompted thousands of police to fan out at high-profile targets such as the Eiffel Tower.
Across the country, the situation appeared calmer, with fewer car burnings “” a barometer of the unrest.
National Police Chief Michel Gaudin said there had been a “major lull” in the rioting on the 17th night of urban violence. If the calm continues, “things could return to normal very quickly,” he said at a news conference on Sunday.
The number of vehicles burned overnight across the country fell to 374 from 502 the night before and police detained 212 people.
The intensity of the unrest has waned since the government imposed a state of emergency Wednesday, empowering local authorities to invoke exceptional security measures such as curfews for minors.