POLICE sent reinforcements to the troubled suburbs of northern Paris yesterday after a night of rioting revived fear of a return to the violence that raged through France’s immigrant housing estates last year.

In another sign of continuing racial tension, the Government also ordered an inquiry into an anti-Semitic black group that staged an aggressive march through the Jewish quarter of the capital.

Seven policemen were injured on Monday night in the town of Montfermeil. Rubber bullets and stun grenades were fired at youths, many of whom were masked and wielding baseball bats. About 100 youths hurled projectiles and petrol bombs at police and public buildings and attempted to storm the home of Xavier Lemoine, the town’s Mayor. The violence was sparked by the arrest of a suspect over the beating of a bus driver.

The violence spread into neighbouring Clichy-sous-Bois, the flashpoint for last year’s riots. Two youths were electrocuted there in October while hiding from police in an electricity sub-station.

Riot police were deployed in force in both centres last night, but there was no violence other than a firebomb being thrown into a police vehicle.

Dominique Perben, the Transport Minister, called the incident a reminder of last year’s riots, in which 10,000 vehicles and 200 public buildings were torched. “The question of the suburbs is a question for the entire political class,” he said. “We must have the courage to look things in the face.”

More than 400 people were jailed after the riots, but community leaders have complained that little has been done to address the problems facing the estates.

Montfermeil has been a focus of tension since M Lemoine decreed a bylaw last month that banned teenagers from circulating in groups of more than three. A court quashed the bylaw after protests from civil liberties groups.

Politicians and Jewish organisations united yesterday in condemning the acts of the so-called Tribu KA black supremacy group that intimidated passers-by last Sunday in the Rue des Rosiers, the Jewish quarter in the Marais district.

AUTUMN TROUBLES

126 officers were injured

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