Nov 26, 2007, 22:09 GMT
Paris - Bands of youths rioted for a second night late Monday in the suburbs of Paris after two minority teens were killed when their motorcycle was struck by a police car, police said.
An estimated 100 hooded youths tossed objects at riot police near the site of the accident in the suburb of Villiers-le-Bel, north of Paris. Police replied with tear gas and flash-ball projectiles. In addition, 10 cars and numerous trash cans were set ablaze.
At least eight police officers were injured in the violence, which has spread to three other suburbs.
The unrest began late Sunday after two youths of African origin, aged 15 and 16, died when their off-road motorcycle collided with a police cruiser.
Witnesses have told investigators that the motorcycle was traveling very fast and that the police car was unable to avoid the collision.
Some 40 police officers and firefighters were injured in Sunday's unrest. Two police stations, four other buildings and several dozen cars were set ablaze.
The violence was a disturbing echo of the three weeks of urban unrest that swept through poor suburbs throughout France in November 2005 after two teenagers from another Paris suburb were electrocuted while hiding from police.
Residents of Villiers-le-Bel told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa that they feared a new wave of violence by minority youths.
'We heard that they want to burn down City Hall,' one person said. 'We are afraid for our cars.'
Another man said that the area in which the two youths were killed was populated primarily by immigrants. 'We're not in France here any more,' he said.
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