Here's a side of Paris that might make you a little uncomfortable. Nevertheless, demonstrations and protests are a fact of life in France, and especially in Paris. There were big demonstrations (manifestations in French) on several days when we spent our week in the city in April 2006. I was out there with my camera documenting it all. It never felt dangerous. There had been violent demonstrations — riots — in 2005, but in 2006 things mostly stayed peaceful.
The French government had proposed a law that young people thought would discriminate against them. Student associations and labor unions organized and got permission to stage big manifestations of their disapproval. They demanded that the proposal be withdrawn (le retrait du projet de loi), not tinkered with and amended. They wanted nothing short of le retrait — un point c'est tout ("period"). The CGT is a big labor union that is associated with the French communist party. The protesters feared précarité, meaning a lack of job security, under the proposed reform. Here, you can read what I wrote at the time about the government proposal and the public's reaction to it.
After watching so many video clips of scenes in the Capitol on Wednesday, I'm immune to feeling any discomfort when looking at street demonstrations like these. One of the capitol policemen died after being struck in the head with a fire extinguisher.
ReplyDeleteThe recent DC event was more a terrorist attack than a demonstration. The one in my photos here was a "manifestation" of people's support for rejecting the proposed law.
DeleteI did once stumble not quite into the path of a demonstration in Paris. I can't remember what it was about, but I noticed that within a few hundred people of the front row, it pretty soon became more of a family day out, and one young enragée peeled off to inspect some glittery sandals in a shoe-shop window.
ReplyDeleteSome might even say that the enragée who peeled off to look at glittery sandals had her priorities straight. It was spring, after all.
DeleteAgreed. These kinds of demonstrations are party political and part fun. They often take place in springtime, after the long rainy winter.
DeletePeaceful protests are part of a democracy. Wednesday's rally was like what must have happened in the lynching era- a carnival atmosphere before committing a crime. The only time I remember being afraid in Paris was in the summer of '66 when the police seemed to hate people my age- twenty somethings. I went the other way when I saw police who looked more menacing to me than the US cops.
ReplyDeleteThat's interesting, Evelyn. I never had that feeling, but my first trip to Paris was a few years later than yours, and after the "events" of May 1968. Maybe things changed.
DeleteThe post invites comparison. I don't see any guns or weapons and they're not storming the Palais Bourbon.
ReplyDeleteTrue. These kinds of events in Paris are usually approved by the authorities and very well planned and monitored. They still make their point.
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