Champion’s league final thrown into chaos

By European Football
March 26 2006

Fire engines swooped threw the streets, women and men were beaten to the ground and the home office actually took steps to advise people from travelling to the capital city.

An average evening on the West Bank you may think. But this is Paris we are talking about, one of Europe’s proudest capitals is in flames, Madame le guillotine is warming up and a few aristo’s are hiding their powdered wigs.

While the French protest the new and in my opinion, rather draconian employment laws. The French government appear rather clueless as to what to do next.

I remember reading a short story by Douglas Adams a few years back, where the entire planet went on an unexpected days holiday, everywhere was chaos, except France, where frankly they were used to it.

Well they are hardly living up to that now; contradictory measures have just led to a confused and useless mess. That the French government, in the spirit of good ostriches everywhere are currently refusing to see.

And it has to be said that as far as modern capitals go Paris has more practice at dealing with riots than most.

A senior French minister, when asked when peace would be restored to the streets, could merely offer that most typical of Gallic gestures, the shrug, in answer. Which about sums up the stance of the entire government at present.

In 50 days time, arguably the biggest club sporting event on the planet is due to take place amongst the rubble strewn streets of Paris.

The Stade de France sits proudly amongst some of the worst of the chaos in the riot-torn northern suburbs of Paris, for the moment there has been no trouble reported in the immediate vicinity of the stadium, but seriously how is it meant to host 80,000 people in 50 days time, when it can’t even guarantee the safety of its own people on their way home from work.

This is not the sort of place to discuss the wrongs and rights of the rioters, but surely the authorities have to take action now, and switch the final to another venue.