Adding Fuel To The Fire
Car fires are among the most enduring symbols of urban unrest in France, yet torchings are routine in some parts of the country. Last year some 44,000 vehicles were set ablaze, compared with half that figure in the United States. What explains this strange phenomenon? As far back as the late ’70s joyriders in the rougher suburbs torched their stolen rides after they were done with them. Elsewhere it’s part of festivities....