Well, in France they burn cars once in a while over any reason really :-)

Any reason? Youth poverty and loss of trust in the government, really.

Other reasons too. In the protests in the north of France over British beef (amongst other things) in the 90s(?) there was much burning of lorries.

I doubt it is a french thing either: how many riots end up involving fire (London the other year for instance). At a certain critical mass of angry uncontrolled people, a fire will be started somewhere within or near by.