Question

The riots spreading across France in 2005 were caused by

• A. Al Qaeda
• B. French Nationalists
• C. Racial tensions among Paris' Immigrants
• D. France's position in European Union

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understand the question
The question asks about the main cause of the riots that spread across France in 2005. These riots were highly reported international events, and identifying their root cause is necessary.

Step 2: Background of the 2005 France riots
- The riots began in late October 2005, initially in the suburbs of Paris, and quickly spread across many cities in France.
- The immediate trigger was the tragic death of two teenagers of immigrant background, who were accidentally electrocuted while hiding from the police in Clichy-sous-Bois, a suburb of Paris.
- This incident highlighted the deep frustration among minority youth living in poor, immigrant-dominated neighborhoods.

Step 3: Deeper causes of the riots
- The unrest was not only about one incident but reflected years of **racial discrimination, unemployment, poverty, and social exclusion** faced by immigrants, particularly those of North African and Sub-Saharan African origin.
- Immigrant communities felt marginalized in French society, and tensions with the police often escalated because of perceived racial profiling and harassment.
- The riots exposed the gap between France's ideals of liberty, equality, fraternity, and the actual conditions faced by immigrants in the suburbs.

Step 4: Connection to the answer
The correct option points to **racial tensions among Paris' immigrants**. This is accurate because the violence stemmed from frustrations in immigrant communities facing systemic inequality and racial discrimination.

Step 5: Conclusion
The 2005 riots in France were therefore not random but the outcome of longstanding **racial and social tensions**, triggered by a tragic event and fueled by years of inequality and neglect.

Final Answer: The correct option is (C): Racial tensions among Paris' Immigrants.