Those little dungaree darlings who glue themselves to motorways for entertainment, and throw soup at famous paintings in the UK, should be very grateful that they don't live in France.
In the UK the Cops simply stand-by in large groups and watch, but South of La Manche they have a very different way of dealing with people who disrupt the smooth running of society.
Any slight hint of anarchy and out come the CRS (Compagnies Républicaines de Sécurité) to give them a good walloping. The CRS are not the ordinary Gendarmes, they are a more sinister group who are often seen in groups, sitting inside dark military vehicles by the road side in the larger French cities. They are fully kitted, and ready to pounce!
As I live in a quiet corner of little-known France, we have no CRS presence, so I have never personally seen them in action, but I've seen plenty of reports and film.
It isn't surprising that experienced French demonstrators/rioters often wear motorbike crash-helmets. They need them!
It's a sad world these days where CRS are routinely in position "just in case".
ReplyDeleteIn Paris I've seen their armoured vehicles parked by roadsides, filled with about 10 CRS. They stay there all day (unless needed). Very sinister.
DeleteOne of my early work colleagues from many years ago, on a visit to Paris in the late 1960s, found himself caught up in the fringes of one of the student riots then. He said that he'd never been so frightened as he was then, with the CRS wading in wielding batons and not caring who got injured.
ReplyDeleteCertainly a different experience to our police dealing with Extinction Rebellion!
And they are all anonymous. There seems to be no come-back if they have been over enthusiastic.
DeleteI'm guessing the people at the top are mindful of the last revolution, where heads rolled.
ReplyDeleteThey certainly keep the 'citizens' under control.
DeleteThe special squad that come in to stop riots here can be identified. When they're dodging marble paving stones or facing a barrage of molotov cocktails a squad of anonymous tough guys might just give the anarchists second thoughts about continuing their own violent acts
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't seem to deter them in France.
DeletePerhaps the British police have the right idea. It would seem that the French approach, with violence and all the energy they have to put in to it, doesn't deter rioters at all.
ReplyDeleteIf anything it makes them more aggressive. Somewhere between the two different approaches would probably be right.
DeleteThe Germans got it right when they carried eco protesters away, including Greta Thunberg. In the UK this would have been unthinkable with or without Greta Thunberg and to have even dared to touch her would have resulted in Twitter meltdown from outraged anti-government users regardless of views on green matters which they would be masters of hypocrisy at anyway . Our police would have stood watching while the country closed down and Parliament would pass yet another anti-protest meaningless piece of legislation while Rome burns.
ReplyDeleteI do find it crazy that if you suffer a burglary, no police will turn up. But if you glue yourself to a major road, loads will turn up and stand looking at you. There must be a better way.
DeleteThose cops don't look like people. They look like robots programmed to attack. I wonder if they have faces under the masks. Perhaps they all have Emmanuel Macron faces. They should remember that the modern French state was established on the back of a bloody revolution by ordinary citizens.
ReplyDeleteThey are trained to be aggressive and anonymous. They are exactly what you say 'robots that attack'.
DeleteThis seems very harsh. There has to be a better way. I am all for peaceful protest and freedom of speech. That said, when protesters violate laws they must be stopped, arrested and prosecuted...not beaten.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree. The CRS are feared in France, whereas the Police in the UK are laughed at by the law-breakers. They should be tough but correct.
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