PARIS, May 7: More than 700 cars were set alight and 600 people arrested in violence that hit cities across France after the presidential election victory of right-winger Nicolas Sarkozy, police said on Monday.

Seventy-eight police officers were injured in incidents after Mr Sarkozy’s triumph over the Socialist Segolene Royal in Sunday’s vote.

Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Nantes, Toulouse and Rennes were among cities hit by violence blamed by police on extreme-left groups, anarchists and apolitical gangs who clashed with police.

A total of 730 cars were burned in the high-immigrant suburbs where Sarkozy is a hated figure for his tough stance on immigration and law and order. Police said a total of 592 people were arrested.

Ms Royal had warned in the run-up to Sunday’s election that a Sarkozy victory could see the country slide into violence and unrest, similar to the rioting that rocked French suburbs in late 2005.

At the height of those riots, about 700 cars were being burned every night in cities across France for about three weeks. These incidents were combined with attacks on public buildings, 300 of which were hit.

There were few reports of attacks on public buildings since Mr Sarkozy’s victory on Sunday.—AFP