French Government Condemns Violence Prompted by Veil Ban

Man allegedly attacked police officer who stopped his wife for wearing a now-banned veil

The French government has condemned as "unacceptable" weekend violence outside Paris triggered by the country's ban on full-face veils and strongly defended the controversial law.

Two senior members of the government, Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault and Interior Minister Manuel Valls spoke on Monday following the violence in the suburb of Trappes, southwest of Paris.

The unrest erupted after a man was detained for allegedly attacking a police officer who had stopped his wife over her full-face veil a practice that is banned in France, outraging many in the Muslim community.

Prime Minister Ayrault said the subsequent violence was "unacceptable" and called on everyone to respect the law.