France sees second night of unrest after Sarkozy's election
Paris - France saw violent clashes for the second night in a row amid demonstrations against conservative Nicolas Sarkozy's win in Sunday's presidential election.
Cars and trash containers were set on fire in a number of cities overnight and primarily young protesters threw rocks and bottles at police, police said early Tuesday.
More than 100 demonstrators were arrested in Paris alone. Unrest was also reported in Lyon, Lille, Toulouse, Nantes and Rennes.
About 500 leftist opponents of Sarkozy assembled on Paris' Bastille Square late Monday. Police moved in when shop windows began to be smashed and telephone booths demolished.
Police said they engaged with small groups of protestors around the square until well past midnight. Police said the demonstrators had attacked them with projectiles but no officers were hurt.
Clashes were also reported in the western cities of Nantes and Rennes at the end of anti-Sarkozy protests.
About 400 protested against the future president in Nantes and 10 were arrested, police said.
Arrests were also reported in the northern city of Lille and in Toulouse in southern France.
Sarkozy won Sunday's election against Socialist Segolene Royal with 53.06 per cent of the vote.
In the violence during the night immediately after the voting, police said they arrested 592 arsonists and rioters around the country, 730 cars were set on fire and 78 police hurt in clashes with leftist protesters.
Sarkozy did not comment on the demonstrations and clashes. On Monday, he flew to Malta to rest away from the media and to reflect on the formation of his government, aides said.
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