Up until now the rioters have been targeting mainly cars and not people (although one group did set alight a disabled woman getting off a bus a few days ago which certainly didn't help their 'cause').
I can forsee the big problem really hitting if the police do decide to use maximum force and one (or more) of the rioters get killed. Now regardless whether or not some may deserve 'ultimate force' (for instance idiots who go round setting on fire disabled people) if a single rioter gets killed the violence will only intensify and spread to even more areas which are currently unaffected.
I hope things get sorted soon. If the current level of violence carries on over the next few days then France will have a really serious problem and the initial reasons for the rioting will not be the impetus any further. Added to that it's a long weekend in France next week as Friday 11th November is a National Holiday. If the riots continue Monday through Wednesday you can be guaranteed they'll get even worse over a three day break :(