As Violence Eases, Sarkozy Calls Riots Unacceptable

President Nicolas Sarkozy made a lightning strike into France’s troubled suburbs today, visiting a wounded police captain and pledging afterward in front of the trailing television cameras to bring attacking rioters to justice.

At 7:30 a.m., just hours after returning home from China, Mr.
Sarkozy was at a hospital in the suburb of Eaubonne, north of Paris,
lending his support to the police officer, who had been shot in the
shoulder during clashes with rioters that started late Sunday.

“So
that things are very clear: what has happened is absolutely
unacceptable,” Mr. Sarkozy said outside the hospital. He added, “We
will find the shooters,” and they will “be brought to account before
justice.”

After two nights of rioting Sunday and Monday night,
largely in the north Paris suburb of Villiers-le-Bel, the situation
eased Tuesday night following the massive deployment of 1,000 anti-riot
police there.