Some 13 vehicle were set on fire on Tuesday night in the French city of Alencon in Normandy after a group of about 20 young people hit the streets, throwing incendiaries and attacking firefighters.
"We deplore this night of urban violence in Perseigne, in Alençon, in which there were a dozen vehicles set on fire", Françoise Taheri, prefect of the Orne department, told BFMTV.
Alencon Mayor Joaquim Pueyo described the overnight events as "extremely serious".
According to BFMTV, police intervened at about midnight after responding to reports about private vehicles being set on fire. After the officers arrived at the scene, they were attacked by young rioters.
Some 13 gendarmes were sent in as reinforcement, and the clashes ended at around 3:30 a.m. There were no injuries.
Footage showing the aftermath of the violent night emerged online, with one video showing fireworks being thrown into cars, and photos revealing the torched vehicles.
According to BFMTV, the violence could have been triggered by the arrest of two young people who are suspected of involvement in drug trafficking. No arrests have been made yet in regard to the overnight events.