What's going on in France, picture thread

[blindpig]

Yesterday, in addition to more than 3 and a half million strikers, huge demonstrations in almost every French town and city were held.... even in some villages. All-time records were set in many French towns for the largest local demonstrations ever staged. In addition to well over 500,000 demonstrators in Paris, there were, for example:

20,000 Demonstrators in Amiens


75,000 in Rouen


8,000 in Bougoin


10,000 in Charleville-Mezieres


3,500 in Digne les Bains


3,000 in Ussel (a town of 10,000)


30,000 in Angoulême


6,000 in Les Villes de l’Oise


5,000 in Moulins


33,000 in Toulon


13,000 in Mulhouse plus 4,500 in Colmar



100,000 in Nantes


75,000 in Grenoble


CGT! CGT! This is how it's done, this is how the people win. I don't mind admitting it gives me goose bumps. People, get ready.

[Renew Deal]

1. Most of those people are young

Big contrast with what you see here.

[tomm2thumbs]

54. exacta-mundo!

[Oceansaway]

2. K&R...n/t

[pleah]

3. K&R I love the French!

[sadbear]

4. The French get it, don't they?

Of course, they're smart enough to know when they're getting fucked over.

[CurtEastPoint]

9. Plus, the French govt is afraid of the people, the reverse of here. n/t

[doc03]

5. I guess they don't want the full retirement age increased

to 67. Watch they will raise ours to 70 and nobody will say shit.

[napi21]

8. No, they're protesting because theydon't want theirs raised to 62!

It's now at 60 years old! You see so many young people protesting because they realize that if you raise the retirement age it will mean less jobs for THEM! I don't know what has ahppened to the Americans. The worst they do is send an angry email or post a nasty message on a blog!

[doc03]

17. I read a couple days ago they want to raise the (early retirement)

age from 60 to 62 and the (full retirement) age from 65 to 67 same as ours is now. I think it was in the USA
paper.

[Catherina]

6. J'ai deux amours, mon pays et la France. Vive la France! n/t

[xchrom]

7. Recommend

[Johonny]

10. French female protesters all look so hot

yet their food is so fattening. Their is no justice.

[Odin2005]

31. I agree!

:cry:

[Enthusiast]

58. LOL....nt

[baldguy]

11. That's what "democracy" looks like.

Sort of an alien concept in America.

[RagAss]

13. True...and it is what courage looks like too....here all we have is anonymous hate.

[blindpig]

16. We can do it.

But it's gonna take some time, our union movement is in shambles. But we can do it, we must.

[Nevernose]

27. And a lack of laziness/intellectual dishonesty/apathy

N/t

[lunatica]

12. Maybe we'll follow their revolution this time around

[RagAss]

15. we followed it once already.

[leveymg]

14. 1968 Retour, Mon Ami?

The French did it with style and intelligence back then, and so they are today. But, where are the Situationists to lend a new ideological take on the society of spectacle?

[HughBeaumont]

18. Oh, you mean those "sissy cheese-eater surrender monkeys who didn't go with the 'war on terr'"?

Americans are a bunch of craven lemmings compared to these people; lovingly accepting with open mouth whatever corporations piss down it. "We're cutting your wages in half and your benefit will be employment, you dog bitches. Open your mouths!"

[Enthusiast]

59. Yup. That always irks me.

If not for the French we probably don't even win our revolution and possibly not the war of 1812.

[northoftheborder]

19. These people know how to stamp their feet.

[leftstreet]

20. K&R

[bobbolink]

21. I'm guessing the media also reports a more accurate number of protestors.

We're pathetic in our apathy.

[JDPriestly]

22. A few of the signs -- translated.

"Retirement at 60 is a right. . . . Everybody in the street."

"The lyceens (high school students) form ___ (not included in the photo) against this reform."

"Youth mobilized to defend their rights." This sign is also so big it is not shown in its entirety in the picture so I am guessing a bit at what it says.

"Together for our retirement."

"Angry lyceens (high school students). This is not wanted."

You would expect the union members, the working people to be demonstrating. But there are a lot of upper middle class students out on the streets on this one. Note the well coifed hair (considering that they are marching) and the predominance of young women wearing nice clothing. The French middle class is enraged about the changes.

This is very interesting. These are not ruffians or hoodlums. These are industrious, ambitious people.

As I said, I was in Paris in the summer of 1968. The students we met were also really middle class but did not want to identify themselves as middle class by their dress and hair style. (I remember even one young woman who was an activist that we met at that time was from an aristocratic family that went way back.)

This crowd is very different from what we saw in 1968.

[blindpig]

23. Thanks for that

I can barely read English...

Everybody in the street....

[anaxarchos]

26. The predominance of signs (union or "Youth")...

... changes depending on which town or city the pictures are from. The General Confederation of Workers (CGT) did something brilliant as they ratchet-up these strikes and demonstrations. In this round, they took out the oil and transport workers AND the secondary school teachers...

Guess who came out with the teachers?

(Don't mess with union teachers)

[readmoreoften]

35. They're not "middle class." They're working class and they know it. That's why they fight.

The majority of the people in the world are working class. And in France they don't use American terms for class where "middle class" means anyone employed in decent job. The petit bourgeoisie ("middle class" to the rest of the world) are the lawyers, corporate professionals, and small business owners. Most of these people are the unionized public workers and students.

Part of the reason why they're able to get people out in the street is because they don't think of themselves as some "middle class" in between the "real workers" and the "rich." They know they're workers and future workers so they fight for themselves and their own.

The petit bourgeoisie don't organize and fight. They waffle and figure out who to through their weight behind.

[JDPriestly]

37. You are correct from the French standpoint, but just because they

don't call themselves the bourgeosie doesn't mean they aren't. When we speak of the middle class, we generally mean working class people who think of themselves as doing well.

[marmar]

24. There go those effete French, practicing democracy while we sit on our couches and watch.....

nt

[TBF]

25. Now THAT is resistance -

thank you for the photos BP.

[zeemike]

28. there are times I wish I was born in Franc.

The people there stick together and don't allow the government to run over them.
Plus they love good food and support their farms and insist on it being fresh and free from crap.
Yep the French know what the good life really is.

[Enthusiast]

60. Yeah, they don't even want

steroids and antibiotics in their livestock. What is wrong with them!?

[Panaconda]

29. K&R for that n/t

[Odin2005]

30. Vive la France!!!

:bounce:

[SlipperySlope]

32. 3.5 Million is not enough. They need 35 million in the streets.

They need to send the politicians a message. It doesn't seem like they are being heard yet.

[readmoreoften]

36. There's been close to a general strike for about 5 days now.

I think the politicians are hearing. Nothing like the strike wave hitting Europe has happened since the 1970s. They know exactly how much hard work is ahead of them. 3.5 million people is a good start, especially for a nation of 62 million. That's the equivalent of 17.5 million US workers out in the streets.

Considering our "huge" protests rarely top 300,000, I'd call this a Big Fucking Deal.

[anaxarchos]

55. There were 8 million in Spain, a few weeks ago.

That's more than 35 milliion, here.

And, those kinds of numbers start to be about more than "sending a message". They start to become the message.

[Hannah Bell]

33. sarkozy called out the riot police....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x9329061

[lame54]

34. You call them real protesters?

Where are their lawn chairs?

[blindpig]

38. Live web cam feed from Paris, October 16

http://www.prlog.org/10999702-france-national-strike-16-october-2010-live-at-paris-public-worker-demonstrations.html

Don't know how good this will work.

[KillCapitalism]

39. At least they're going about it peacefully.

Some friends of mine were in Paris a few years ago when those youth riots took place & they felt a bit unsafe there. According to them, those riots were right up there with the Rodney King riot in LA, just minus the gun violence. They saw cars being set on fire, businesses being looted or set on fire, and a lot of bloody street brawls.

I wish them luck in their endeavors, but they have to deal with the consequences of electing Sarkozy, just like Americans are having to deal with the consequences of the Bush administration. Most here have no idea just how far to the right Sarkozy is. Compare him to Sarah Palin, and Palin will come out looking like a far-left liberal.

[blindpig]

40. Depends

If Sarkozy pushes there will be push back. It is on his head how far things go. All that bastard has to do is heed the will of the people.

[KillCapitalism]

41. Agreed

Well if they push back, I'll certainly be on the people's side. Sarkozy is doing or attempting to do as much damage to France as Bush did to America.

[Dappleganger]

45. Those riots

Were largely race-related, btw. The French are very racist with certain groups of people and cut them out of being able to get the same jobs as other French, so it's very hard for certain people to get jobs so they rebel and burn shit to get attention. I never knew of this before until we had one of those "minority" French exchange students who ended up in our home, and couldn't believe the hard time the other kids gave him. He was quite proud at first and didn't let us in on why things were this way, but before he left he told us about his entire situation. There's a large segment of unemployed/underemployed minorities which explode with frustration from time to time.

[blindpig]

48. There's that retirement age thing

If it goes up there are fewer jobs available.

[TheKentuckian]

42. it is we who are the surrender monkeys now

Anybody with a few bucks comes around and we kneel down or bend over on request or even voluntarily.

Plus, much of the rest of the world's problems are directly related to us allowing our yahoos to run amok and forcibly, if necessary, export our demented and failed system around the globe.
Which also makes a lot of guillotine inviting behavior not only legal but worshiped that encourages the worst of the worst to step up their game worldwide.

Our powerbrokers have been allowed to forget fear of the population and that is a crime so bad that sin is inescapable, regardless of religion or lack there of.

[Enthusiast]

61. They have defused fear of the population

by creating the Faux outrage Tea Party.

[Starry Messenger]

43. k & r

[femrap]

44. Viva la France!

I get goosebumps as well. The French will not give up their quality of life so to be treated like Americans with no vacation, no health care, and disgusting fast food.

[blindpig]

46. Well, we can learn

I think the first thing we must do is re-learn our past, embrace those radicals who fought to get working people a life beyond barbarism. We have no choice, the ruling class will grind us into the dust to put a dime in their pockets. And they will fuck up and deplete the Earth breakneck in their profit driven frenzy.

[femrap]

52. I took my computer into to

have something fixed. The dude told me that the $79 I had paid for a 'warranty' did not cover software. So my cursor jumps around, highlights things, and then deletes what I have written. It is basically a pain in the ass.

So I realize I've been ripped off...and I say 'I should have been born in France. This country's greed is too much.' And this little twenty-something tells me that France has lots worse problems. Really, I say. Ever been to France? I ask him. Of course not.

I said, 'See why I wish I were in France. They realize when something is wrong, they do something about it. You, on the other hand, don't have a frigging clue that anything is wrong. You may, in fact, be too stupid to realize how stupid you are. Visit France or read a book about France and then tell me they are worse off than us.'

They had an operating computer at the customer service desk so I Googled 'Glee Cats' and played it. He came over and said that the 'Managers were having a meeting and their door was open so I'm turning off the sound.' I said,'Listen, I'm the damn customer and I pay those manager's salaries....go close their damn door. See what I mean about being stupid?'

F*ck. I did get my Tab Key put back into place. I have no faith in 90% of americans...I don't think most of them could find their way out of a paper bag. Just makes me want to

:hide:

[uppityperson]

53. France isn't Wonderland and insulting others is quite a strategy there

And yes, I've been in France. There are serious employment and bigotry issues there. It depends on who and where you are as to what problems there are.

Insulting a company, being obnoxious and swearing at them, yeah, you are quite a person, aren't you? Yes, I see what you mean about being stupid.

By the way, bureaucracy is a French word and is one of the reasons many things are difficult to get done there. "they realize when something is wrong, they do something about it." isn't a particularly "French" way of being. It can be difficult to get help, difficult to jump through all the hoops. At least my French relatives realize that when they buy a warranty for a computer that it doesn't cover the software. At least they are polite enough to not swear at a business who objects to customers being obnoxious.

[uppityperson]

51. This is about retirement at 62 vs 60. They have at least 30 days vacation, full health care,

some disgusting fast food already. Wouldn't you like full retirement at 60? At least 30 days paid vacation a year? 4 day work week? Full medical?

Part of the problem is by having people retire 2 yrs later, they hold those jobs for 2 more yrs rather than passing them on to younger people.

This strike is shutting down most rural areas as there is no fuel to get to jobs or schools. Back to using bicycles and being local rather than traveling 30 miles to work.

[Kang Colby]

47. In fairness....

don't be so down and out on the US....DU should plan a virtual march!:fistbump:

[blindpig]

49. Virtual my ass

Nothing beats feets in the streets.

[Kang Colby]

50. Think about it like this....

I see a lot of younger folks probably students in those pictures. But for us older folks who work during the day or perhaps even can't get out - the blogosphere is all we have and is certainly more convenient (and cheaper). I would also argue that due to the inter-connectivity of the WWW - we can share our experiences and solidarity from our living rooms without having to travel.

But I'm an old man. I guess a better way of saying it is don't count out the netroots.

-K.C.

[quakerboy]

56. Cept armies of

cops and a few planted instigators. Also tazers and nonlethal crowd control. Also the knowledge that you have been completely ignored. Which is what happens to feets in the streets, unless they happen to be for a specific approved cause.

[Enthusiast]

57. Here, the PTB arrange

for the ranks of the protesters to be infiltrated. These operatives go on to act in a manner that justifies police action. They have been doing this for years.

The French protest because they can see the writing on the wall. Their government wants the country to become more U.S.-like, with fewer responsibilities to the citizen. And the protesters have it right.

[Citizen Worker]

62. This is what real democracy looks like! The French, and other European citizens, take action

whereas here we wring our hands and say, "...but what can we do it?" And to think that many Yanks had the temerity to call the French cheese eating surrender monkeys. This is civics in action, we should try it here.

[maryf]

63. Kick and thank you!

Error: you can only recommend threads which were started in the past 24 hours

goose bumps, you bet, and warms my blood...get out those stomping boots!! Why wasn't October 2nd like this??? (the people didn't plan it...)

[Panaconda]

64. Protests Threaten France Shutdown

Protests Threaten France Shutdown

Tens of thousands of people expected to take to the streets over pension plans as fears of a fuel shortage increase.

The battle over a planned overhaul of France's pension system has intensified as rolling strikes cut the fuel pipeline to Paris airports and shut down most of the country’s oil refineries.

In an attempt to pummel the government into backing down on its controversial plans to raise the retirement age, a broad alliance of unions, leftwing political parties and students are pressing ahead with a series of nationwide protests.

Tens of thousands of people are expected to join the nationwide protests on Saturday, just days ahead of the final government vote on the reforms on Wednesday. Unions are also promising a major strike on Tuesday in a final attempt to stop the legislation.

...

http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2010/10/16-1

[Panaconda]

65. Oil workers defy French govt demand to open depots

Oil workers defy French govt demand to open depots
AP


French Union workers burn tires to block the entrance of the oil refinery of Grandpuits eastern of Paris, Monday, Oct. 18 , 2010.

By GREG KELLER, AP Business Writer Greg Keller, Ap Business Writer – 1 hr 2 mins ago

PARIS – French oil workers on Monday defied the government's demand to get back to work and end scattered fuel shortages, stepping up their fight against President Nicolas Sarkozy's plan to raise the retirement age to 62.

Striking workers piled up tires and set them ablaze in front of a refinery at Grandpuits, east of Paris, after authorities issued a legal order insisting that some strikers reopen the facility. Workers said Monday they would refuse, as curls of heavy black smoke wafted into the air.

Other employees and residents formed a "human chain" to prevent the refinery workers from entering the plant, and union leaders said they expected an imminent police intervention.

Strikers have blockaded a dozen French refineries and numerous oil depots in the last week as part of widespread protests against the government's plan to raise the retirement age from 60 to 62.

...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101018/ap_on_bi_ge/eu_france_retirement_strikes

[Panaconda]

66. More protests- Slanted report

French retirement protests take violent turn
AP

By JENNY BARCHFIELD, Associated Press Writer Jenny Barchfield, Associated Press Writer – 1 hr 5 mins ago

PARIS – Masked youths clashed with police and set fires in cities across France on Tuesday as protests against a proposed hike in the retirement age took an increasingly radical turn. Hundreds of flights were canceled, long lines formed at gas stations and train service in many regions was cut in half.

President Nicolas Sarkozy pledged to crack down on "troublemakers" and guarantee public order, raising the possibility of more confrontations with young rioters after a week of disruptive but largely nonviolent demonstrations.

Sarkozy also vowed to find a solution to the fuel crisis that has seen more than 1,000 gas stations shuttered nationwide.

The protesters are trying to prevent the French parliament from approving a bill that would raise the retirement age from 60 to 62 to help prevent the pension system from going bankrupt. Many workers feel the change would be a first step in eroding France's social benefits — which include long vacations, contracts that make it hard for employers to lay off workers and a state-subsidized health-care system — in favor of "American-style capitalism."

...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/eu_france_retirement_strikes;_ylt=Agi4LPs34OHqqZcvmiwUEaul24cA;_ylu=X3oDMTNhNmI5bDg1BGFzc2V0Ay9zL2FwL2V1X2ZyYW5jZV9yZXRpcmVtZW50X3N0cmlrZXMEY2NvZGUDbXBfZWNfOF8xMARjcG9zAzIEcG9zAzIEc2VjA3luX3RvcF9zdG9yaWVzBHNsawNmcmVuY2hyZXRpcmU-