Parisian Teen Thugs Riot Again

About 100 youths clashed Tuesday with subway inspectors and police at Paris' Gare du Nord metro station, which was closed to traffic following the altercation, transportation officials said.

A standoff between police officers and about 100 youths was still under way early Tuesday evening, said officials from Paris' RATP public transport authority.

The incident began when one of the youths punched two subway inspectors during a routine ticket check at the Gare du Nord, in northeastern Paris, officials said. Youths also attacked the inspectors and later turned on police officers patrolling the station, officials said.

The Gare du Nord is one access point into Paris from the banlieus that were set alight last year (and continue to regularly turn cars into rotisseries). It seems that the thugs are spoiling for attacks.

This was not one of the areas we visited in Paris while there last week.