Thu, October 21, 2010
Preparing for a fight in Lyon. French security forces face off with protesters in the heart of France's third largest city.
As helicopters buzzed overhead to track down rioters, the elite French police SWAT teams were in full view, behind riot police -- a clear signal to rioters that a heavy response would be forthcoming if the fighting degenerated further.
In running battles that lasted much of the afternoon, youths hurled projectiles at the police, who responded with fire from anti-riot weapons. Shattered glass bore witness to an afternoon of clashes.
One of France's wealthiest cities and more commonly associated with fine-dining than riots, Lyon has seen the worst violence of this week's street protests against austerity measures as clashes injured two dozen people.
