Halloween in France turned violent after gangs of masked men went on a rampage targeting police. According to reports Thursday, riots spread throughout Paris and Lyon where groups looted stores, started fires and repeatedly attacked policemen.
Authorities said the outbreak was triggered by a social media post in which a man called for attacks on the nation’s law enforcement and advocated for deadly violence in line with the popular Hollywood series “The Purge.” The post gained traction and others followed, circulating from numerous sources before nightfall on Halloween.
15,000 police were deployed to contain the crime spree and over 100 rioters were arrested before it was contained.
More than 115 people were arrested in France after a night of Halloween violence, according to police. (REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/Photo)
The incident is reportedly fanning racial tensions in the nation as the parts of the city affected the most were heavily occupied by Muslim migrants. Police were attacked with acid in multiple instances, which is a form of violence commonly used by Muslim extremists in Europe.
Paris has been hit hard by the influx of impoverished people from the Middle East and Africa, who have flooded European borders, claimed asylum and set up makeshift shelters throughout already densely occupied cities — often times blocking off entire streets.
As police struggle to contain the ever-growing migrant population and violent episodes like the so-called “purge,” this Halloween became a regular occurrence in the iconic city of lights and across Europe. Many are beginning to side with President Trump’s immigration policies by calling for an end to open borders and unchecked migration.
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UPDATED 11:51 AM PT — Fri. Nov. 2, 201
