Police raid targets immigrant workers in France

On Feb. 18, 1,100 French police raided homes in Villiers-le-Bel and the surrounding municipalities. The police forced their way into homes and buildings allegedly looking for the leaders of youth rebellions against police brutality late last year. Thirty-five people were arrested.

Villiers-le-Bel became the epicenter of rebellions when two youths of color were struck by a police car and left to die in November 2007.

For months leading up to the raids, police passed out leaflets in the largely immigrant working-class towns offering monetary rewards for information. The military-style raids were one of the largest police operations in France’s history.

The raids are part of racist President Nicolas Sarkozy’s war on immigrants and poor workers. In 2005, rebellions broke out all over France for 21 days after two teenage immigrants were electrocuted while being chased by police.