Or anywhere in France, apparently.

*ahem*

Car burnings are regular occurrences in France but the registering the New Year’s Eve total has become something of a tradition since they achieved symbolic status in the violent rioting that shook many of the country’s poor suburbs in 2005.

Indeed.  And just how many cars went up ub flames as the New Year was rung in?

The French press reported that the Interior Ministry released a final “verified” count of 1,147 vehicles burned in France over New Year’s Eve. The number is up 30.64% from last year’s total, 878.

Awesome.  Apparently over 35,000 police were online ready to deal with any rioting (though actual clashes with the cops were few, apparently), and yet over a thousand cars got torched.

“There were few ‘contacts’ with police, gendarmes and fire services but an increase in the number of burnings for which we don’t have an explanation at the moment,” the official said.

I suppose “they are worthless piles of crap who apparently have it too easy living on the dole” was never mentioned at the round-table?  And I don’t suppose it is too much to hope that these malcontents started with their own cars, eh?

No, I didn’t think so.

For the record, while IL law doesn’t allow for it the way Texas law does, if you try and torch my car, I’m shooting you if you should be so unlucky as to have me catch you in the act.