More problems in France

From the AFP via The Washington Times:

PARIS -- A gang of more than 20 youths -- thought to be North African immigrants -- terrorized hundreds of train passengers in a rampage of violence, robbery and sexual assault on New Year's Day, French officials said yesterday.
The five-hour-long criminal frenzy was "totally unacceptable," French President Jacques Chirac told reporters. "Those guilty will be found and punished, as they deserve."
The gang of between 20 and 30 youths boarded the train, heading from Nice on the French Riviera to Lyon, in eastern France, early on Jan. 1, as it carried 600 passengers home from New Year's Eve partying overnight.
Once inside, they went wild, forcing passengers to hand over mobile phones and wallets, and slashing seats and breaking windows.

This sort or criminal activity has nothing to do with the "lack of opportunities" or "latent racism" the apologists from last fall's insurection claimed was the "root cause" of the anarchy. No, these people are thugs and simply need to be put in prison for a long time. The last paragraph though, reflects the attitudes of local law enforcement / government and indicates to me that they are not about to get serious in addressing this problem:

Three others -- a man and two boys -- were arrested briefly in Marseille but were released despite reports they were carrying a knife, a screwdriver and a small amount of hashish.

In Rudy Guiliani's (R-America) New York, people with illegal weapons and / or drugs got sent to the slammer because they were often wanted for other, more serious crimes.

It will get worse before it gets better.