It now happens every New Years Eve in charming France: hundreds of cars are torched in a nightmarish display of arson destruction, performed by diverse young fellows for the fun of it. Last year at the dawn of 2016, the number of burned cars was 804 , a law enforcement success compared with the previous year’s 940.

A Parisian recorded cars burning on the street below a few years ago:

But somehow this year, the authorities are more sensitive about the normalized lawlessness of immigrant youth. Are officials finally embarrassed? Do they see a future of worsening anarchy and civil war with jihadists?

For whatever reason, the government doesn’t want the French citizens to know the extent of this year’s destruction.