Ah, May Day in Gay Paree. It's what dreams are made of!
May Day is celebrated in many different ways around the world, but here in France (and Paris in particular), the left-wing Black Bloc group celebrated by burning cars, throwing pavées at the Police, and smashing as many windows as possible. This young man (above) has actually removed the protective boarding so that he could get-at the glass. Who said 'romance' was dead?
Paris was once again ablaze, and the air thick with acrid smoke and Tear Gas.
Well done chaps; another fine example of Socialist ideals in action; Messrs Marx and Engels would be proud of you.
Must admit Paris is always first on the news on May Day. There were big demonstrations in Athens but don't seem to have been any paving stones thrown or rubbish bins set on fire.
ReplyDeleteDo they ever arrest anyone in Paris? Here they manage to get 2 or 3 who protest against police violence and are let free after a 'confirmation of identity'.
They should be forced to repair the damage for a start
This was not a demonstration about anything specific, just a bunch of yobs enjoying destruction. Unfortunately those same yobs have now infiltrated the Saturday yellow jacket protestors, and create chaos there too.
DeleteI am not sure how long Paris can hold onto its image as a city of romance.
ReplyDeleteThere are other things as well. Paris has now become a city to AVOID.
DeleteI think that is called anarchy. The French are particularly good at it.
ReplyDeleteAnd they should be very wary of what they wish for.
DeleteThey wish for nothing. That's the whole point in case you hadn't noticed.
DeleteIt was the 23rd week that they raged in the streets, and again I watched it live on Facebook, hard to believe.
ReplyDeleteIt has become a disgrace, and they've lost most of their original supporters.
DeleteWhy is it almost always the young?
ReplyDeleteThey've got nothing better to do!
DeleteIt isn't. Many of them are well over 50.
DeleteI haven't paid attention to ages, but I would think the majority are between 20 and 30.
DeleteI saw something about 50/60 year olds joining in. Majority are 30/40 in fact.
DeleteYou may be right. I can only go on what I saw on TV and elsewhere.
DeleteA Canadian blog mate was in Paris and she was shunted from the left bank to the right bank and back to the left bank by the police so they avoided the protest. I like the youth protesting against rich old white people, but it really has do be done with style and finesse, and of course directly targeted. Smashing up stuff can work, but I don't think it is desirable. From what I have read, all Parisian museums have lock down procedures in place to protect works against rioters.
ReplyDeleteWhat's wrong with 'rich old white people'? These are the people who've worked all their lives, and have probably retired. They deserve some comfort peace and quiet.
DeleteI came here because I liked your comment about the Parisian lesbians on Andrew's blog.
ReplyDeleteWould not kicking out people's store windows and burning their cars suggest obdurateness and dictatorialness?
I suppose that if the point is to make the public hate you and turn against your cause, then doing such things is a great idea.