Each year hundreds of empty parked cars are set alight by youths in France, in a misguided New Years celebration. For the first time in years the numbers were released by the country’s Interior Minister, Manuel Valls, who said 1193 vehicles were burned.

The practice reportedly began in earnest among youths – often in poor neighbourhoods – in the 1990s in the region around Strasbourg in eastern France. It was these burning cars that became a symbol of the unrest that swept through France in late 2005. That year 8000 cars were burned in three weeks.

French youths seem to enjoy lighting up cars whenever they have a chance. Rival gangs compete to see how many cars they can torch, posting the results on social networks.

Some people are pissed that Valls released the numbers. Security Chief for Sarkozy’s UMP party, Bruno Beschizza expressed concern that it would likely inspire other youths to commit similar crimes.Sarkozy was made the decision when in power to keep the total number of wrecked cars hidden.

Other sources claim that numbers have remained steady for the last few years, and saying nothing about the acts will not make them go away.

[Source: SMH]