French burn 874 cars to celebrate new year

A total of 874 cars have been set alight during New Year's Eve celebrations in France, police said.

However, the interior ministry said the number was much lower than in 2019. Authorities also reported a rise in the number of people stopped and detained, reports the BBC.

The number of cars burned overnight has declined compared with New Year's Eve in 2019 when 1,316 vehicles went up in flames, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin tweeted on Saturday.

A curfew to tackle Covid-19 meant no significant disruption took place this time last year.

Car burning has effectively become an annual event in French suburbs since riots in 2005 in several cities. France sees cars set on fire during the year for many reasons, including gangs hiding clues of their crimes and people making false insurance claims.

But car-torching took a new step in France when it became a way to mark the arrival of the New Year. The practice reportedly began in earnest among youths – often in poor neighbourhoods – in the 1990s in the region around Strasbourg in eastern France.

It also became a voice of protest during the fiery unrest by despairing youths from housing projects that swept France in the fall of 2005. At the time, police counted 8,810 vehicles burned in less than three weeks.

This year, some 95,000 police and gendarmes were mobilised during recent New Year's celebrations, French media report - including 32,000 firefighters and security personnel.

In Paris, where face masks have been made compulsory again, 779 people were fined for not wearing a mask. While restrictions have been partially lifted in France, more rules will come into place this month due to concerns for the Omicron variant.

From 3 January, public gatherings will be limited to 2,000 people for indoor events, and remote working will become compulsory for those who are able to.