Gangs of French youth clash with police in Paris suburb

PARIS: A peaceful demonstration protesting the alleged rape of a black youth by police has degenerated, with small groups setting at least one vehicle afire and throwing projectiles at police in a Paris suburb. Officers responded with tear gas.
Hundreds demonstrated Saturday by the courthouse in the northeast Paris suburb of Bobigny, calling for justice for the 22-year-old man arrested Feb. 2 in Aulnay-Sous-Bois during a ID check by four police officers.
The young man — who is still hospitalized — says he was sodomized with a police baton. The situation has sparked a week of nightly unrest in several small towns with minority populations.
One officer was charged with aggravated rape and three others with aggravated assault. All deny the allegations.
An RTL radio van was set ablaze Saturday in the unrest.