When the movie La Haine came out in 1995, it created a storm of controversy in France. Some found it to be a realistic depiction of life in the suburbs, others felt it encouraged young people to riot and act out against the police. However, over the years the story has repeated itself. The most recent incident mirrors the story in La Haine -- someone from the community dies or is injured in police custody and riots ensue: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jan/11/protests-violence-french-estates?CMP=twt_fd
Unrest in the suburbs is an ongoing problem that French authorities have tried to address through economic programs and some attention to the educational system. Some of the underlying issues around police harassment and discrimination are similar to those faced in Britain around the Stephen Lawrence case. Two men were recently convicted for the crime that occurred 18 years ago and the McPherson report which followed Lawrence's murder and the bungled police investigation exposed institutionalized racism.
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