France passes new law to ban 'gangs'
1 Jul, 2009
President Sarkozy's law-and-order push now includes three years in jail or a 45,000 euro fine for being a member of a gang.
By Robert Marquand
[csmonitor.com] Paris - On Monday, the French legislature passed a radical new law making it illegal to be part of a "gang" – if it's one that has been or may be violent.
The move is part of a recent law-and-order initiative by President Nicolas Sarkozy that the French palace is tying to new forms of youth crime at a time of economic crisis. Earlier this month, France banned the wearing of masks during public protests.
The new antigang law says that anyone identified with a group, formal or informal, known by police to have committed criminal acts, or is intending to, may be subject to a three-year sentence or a 45,000 euro (US$63,000) fine. (weiter)

























