Five held after Amiens riots

Cars damaged during the Amiens riots (Getty Images)

Five people have been arrested in connection with rioting in northern France which renewed concerns about security in marginalised areas facing high unemployment.

The local government in Amiens said two of the men were arrested while trying to burn rubbish bins. The other three had been sought by police.

More than 100 people are believed to have taken part in the rioting and police are still looking for them.

The five arrested, including two minors, will face a judge today. They were the first arrests following Tuesday's riots.

Tensions appear to have subsided since then in the northern city, where long-simmering friction between young people and police exploded into confrontations which left a pre-school and public gym in ashes and more than a dozen officers injured.