Steve Temple Posted March 17, 2006 Report Share Posted March 17, 2006 Beautiful, non? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Val Posted March 17, 2006 Report Share Posted March 17, 2006 Yeah, its pretty bad now, the whole of the Place de la Sorbonne has been destroyed. There's another big demonstration tomorrow afternoon, which will turn nasty in the evening. I'm going to try and make it to the protest, because I support the students. That's three weeks now that my university has been on strike. The problem is that you have to differentiate between the "students", who generally protest peacefully, and the "casseurs" who basically join in to destroy and steal everything they can. Its generally not the students who are breaking windows, setting fire to everything in sight etc.Beautiful is something it most definitely is not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hog Posted March 17, 2006 Report Share Posted March 17, 2006 Shit, again!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MKII Posted March 17, 2006 Report Share Posted March 17, 2006 http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060317/ap_on_re_eu/france_not68_1;_ylt=A0SOwmJ7JxtEWJIAIQLgelIB;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hog Posted March 17, 2006 Report Share Posted March 17, 2006 http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060317/ap_on_re_eu/france_not68_1;_ylt=A0SOwmJ7JxtEWJIAIQLgelIB;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUlThanks Hindu-boy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calum Posted March 17, 2006 Report Share Posted March 17, 2006 Yeah' date=' its pretty bad now, the whole of the Place de la Sorbonne has been destroyed. There's another big demonstration tomorrow afternoon, which will turn nasty in the evening. I'm going to try and make it to the protest, because I support the students. That's three weeks now that my university has been on strike. The problem is that you have to differentiate between the "students", who generally protest peacefully, and the "casseurs" who basically join in to destroy and steal everything they can. Its generally not the students who are breaking windows, setting fire to everything in sight etc.Beautiful is something it most definitely is not.[/quote']Does "casseurs" translate as "neds"?I'll take this as an excuse to go and listen to "Paris In Flames" by Thursday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trippinoneastereggs Posted March 17, 2006 Report Share Posted March 17, 2006 my girlfriend's going to paris tomorrow... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bob Double Jack Posted March 17, 2006 Report Share Posted March 17, 2006 i'll say this for the French - they can fuckin demonstrate against stuff!but rioting is ridiculous.Connards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulscoconutass Posted March 18, 2006 Report Share Posted March 18, 2006 I'm no expert on the French but after the events at the end of last year I'd say the last thing Paris and the surrounding area needs are more demonstrations / riots. If you put 100,000 odd people together, you're just asking for trouble.Even though unemployment is high if you do your job well enough you shouldn't have to worry about the new easy hire-and-fire laws. These regulations have been made to help the unemployment crisis in France, not make it worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Groupie Supreme Posted March 18, 2006 Report Share Posted March 18, 2006 You can stop 'em Val. You stopped all the big fights in the Common Room anyway! Paris is no different, Val for Leader. woooo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Val Posted March 18, 2006 Report Share Posted March 18, 2006 Does "casseurs" translate as "neds"?.Nearly; they're basically professional breaker-uppers, a ned is "un racaille", just in case you ever needed to know!Its not quite at full-on riot stage yet, but the government keeps saying nothing, and just ignoring the students, so the situation will degrade fairly quickly I imagine.And today, there will probably be between 500 000 and 1 million protestersin France, depending on the source, and the police can't keep demonstrations contained and then despersed of at the end, which is why it always turns nasty. The proposed route in Paris is also meant to avoid the Quartier Latin, but if break-away groups end up there, it will be complete chaos.What's particuarly interesting is that its the students protesting, and the international media seem ro be perceiving it as if they are fighting for their interests, when in fact, they are not at all. Its rare that a student will be out of Further Education in France before the age of 26. Who this law is actually targeting is the habitants of the suburbs, where unemployment among young people is around 40%; yet the suburbs haven't reacted, which is a bit strange. The students protest because they see themselves as a bit of the "voice of the youth". The main problem with the law is that the 'trial period' is going to be 2 years, which means 2 years to get highered and fired freely. Villepin also had it voted in by pretty undemocratic methods, and the law has not yet been fully passed.Its true that this kind of protest would probably not happen anywhere else, but the French are very attached to their working rights, and job security is a very big issue. Anyway, I shall got to the protest and report back later. Fingers crossed its peaceful!And Steph, I wish I had something to say to your comment but I don't!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swingin' Ryan Posted March 18, 2006 Report Share Posted March 18, 2006 Beautiful' date=' non?[/quote']I do love the fact that in Paris, the idea of protest is still something meaningful and they have students who are willing to take action over issues as opposed to spending four years getting drunk and rotting. However, the idea of the Place de la Sorbonne being torn up is not beautiful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trippinoneastereggs Posted March 18, 2006 Report Share Posted March 18, 2006 Mon aeroglisseur est plaine des enguilles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Val Posted March 19, 2006 Report Share Posted March 19, 2006 Well, today I went to the protest, and it was a great experience! It all moved a bit slowly, but there was a fantastic atmosphere; music, dancing, chanting, more like a party you could say! No wonder the French protest so much! There were people there of all ages and all generations. I even so this one refined woman, in her late 60s, dressed head to toe in Chanel or the like, with anti-CPE stickers attached to each side of her sunglasses, makes a change from the students! Thousands upon thousands of people there, but very well organised, and definetly worth going to, I saw no trouble at all.On the other hand, at half 7, I needed to pass by Place de la Nation, and when I came out of the metro, it was madness. There were the "casseurs" jumping off statues running about, the police were out in force and it was a bit nasty. However, when I decided to go back into the metro, there was some kind of gas let off in the corridor, and I could barely breathe. People had to hold scarves over their mouths, not pleasant at all, and the situation got worse afterwards.But all in all I'm glad I went...altogether now:C comme chomageP comme prcaireE comme exploit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Posted March 19, 2006 Report Share Posted March 19, 2006 Even though unemployment is high if you do your job well enough you shouldn't have to worry about the new easy hire-and-fire laws. These regulations have been made to help the unemployment crisis in France' date=' not make it worse.[/quote']I think the laws have been drafted to help businesses out of a minor recession. I was in st ettiene for a while and the problem with most of the guys I met was that none of the businesses would actually be able to reliably offer them a job they could pay their rent with, and I can't see the new laws helping workers it would affect in any way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Last Wrong Posted March 20, 2006 Report Share Posted March 20, 2006 Brilliant, I'm going to Paris tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Val Posted March 20, 2006 Report Share Posted March 20, 2006 If that was a sarcastic "brilliant", don't worry about it too much. Its not exactly riots everywhere. There will be a general strike on the 28th March, next Tuesday, which will probably be utter chaos. However, if you fancy doing something touristy a bit different, go and see the fountain of blood which is outisde the university building at Jussieu, in the 5th, quite an odd sight! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Last Wrong Posted March 28, 2006 Report Share Posted March 28, 2006 Strangely, I did actually get caught right in the middle of the riots at the Pantheon. Came off the metro to masked protesters, flames, a make shift barricade and 100s of riot police. I was also holding a disneyland bag. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spoonie Posted March 28, 2006 Report Share Posted March 28, 2006 However' date=' if you fancy doing something touristy a bit different, go and see the fountain of blood which is outisde the university building at Jussieu, in the 5th, quite an odd sight![/quote']I'm in Paris from the 5th to the 9th for the marathon. what's the fountain of blood all about? /x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Val Posted March 31, 2006 Report Share Posted March 31, 2006 I'm in Paris from the 5th to the 9th for the marathon. what's the fountain of blood all about? /xThe students put dye in the water of the fountain outside Jussieu and then put a skeleton up; I just thought it was quite artistic!Chirac has just said he'll support the law with the period of trial reduced to 1 year; skirmishes have already broken out, I don't think this is anything like the end, although, I heard that it is possible the universities will be possibly cleared of all strikers next week, and if that happens, there will be big trouble.Good luck for the marathon:up: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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