These are President Macron’s nightmares.
To the list of other crises of civil order he has had to overcome – terrorism, yellow vests, left-wing protests against pensions – can now be added that persistent French crisis-in-waiting that is the banlieues.
For several years, “bad” housing in the suburbs has been relatively quiet.
Although regular nuisances such as drug dealing, crime, low-level disturbances continue almost unchecked, there has been no major outbreak of violence.
This is partly because the smoother economy has created more jobs, partly because of the billions that continue to be spent to improve these areas, and partly because there has been no spark.
But as we see now, the flame has died and hatred of the police is a powerful fuel.
The government’s worst nightmare is forming an alliance that goes beyond their common anti-establishment rhetoric – between the ex-immigrant masses in the suburbs and the populist urban left that provided the force behind the pension protests.
So far, there are few signs of that.
Another scenario is more plausible. That out of the chaos and violence only one figure emerges stronger – a figure who vilifies the government, the far left and the rioting thugs alike.
That figure is, of course, Marine Le Pen.