It sounded like gunshots. Then screaming. As I ran to my window, I saw maybe 50 people in black, hooded sweatshirts running up Odessa Street. They jumped on cars, broke their windows. Storefronts closed quickly, efficiently, as several hundred other people followed their leaders, trailing behind the lightning-fast black mob. The followers didn't break anything; they clearly weren't a part of the smallish group at the front. However, the noise and chaos was enough to scare the locals - everyone ran into the nearest shop or restaurant that hadn't yet pulled down their grill. Other non-protesters ran down the street - in the opposite direction - I suppose assuming that it is better to go where the action came from than where it's headed. When the attacking mob got to the end of the street, a serpent-like motion formed, and they jumped onto one of the local cafe terraces. I couldn't see what they did, but I assume it wasn't positive, judging by the screaming of the patrons.
It took maybe five minutes to destroy the street. Glass is everywhere, a few shops have what I assume is a couple thousand euros worth of damage, and the kids are most likely off to their next location.
Now the riot police are downstairs, filtering people down to the plaza. It is filled with young demonstrators (?) milling about. Traffic is a standstill, sirens are blaring, people are yelling. Oddly, I had just noted this morning that for some reason, the riots haven't been happening in my neighborhood this time. Even though my area is a gathering place for many protests, I figured that the demonstrators were sticking to the Sorbonne area to do their damage. But now I see it's spreading.
All-too-familiar with the gendarmes and their "authoritative ways," I'm not that excited to have to leave my house in 20 minutes.
I support the protests, and see the point in them. I do not, however, support well-executed attacks on small-scale merchants and innocent automobiles. It's a shame that some people have to go and attach a bad name to the otherwise thousands of peaceful protesters.
Update:
The Boy told me he went to the cafe at the end of our street. It is broken - windows and awnings and a few tables were upturned. Not good for business. It's a little weird: this is The Boy's "office" - the main place in the neighoborhood where he goes to unwind and think things over. He was pretty surprised to see what had happened, and I understand the wait staff - with whom we are both on a first name basis - was understandably upset.
Update II: From Yahoo:
So that would be what I saw.
Peaceful protesters:
Not so peaceful:
And oh surprise, the not-so-peaceful kids look awfully like the rioters who torched thousands of cars a few months ago. Who could see that coming ?
What i didnt see coming though is the guy on the left in the bottom picture. I knew the thugs from the suburbs were heavily influenced by american gangsta rappers... but that butt-crack seems to suggest that Larry the Cable Guy is also becoming an influence here. When these thugs were beating up the guy, did you hear them scream "git'r'done" ?
To be fair, that last pic was taken at Invalides, donc not in front of my house. But still - same look, maybe same kids, same motives and same violence. I thought the butt crack was particularly impressive, myself.
Yeah, nothing says "I'm pissed off" like a visible bum crack.
Its funny how you talk about how beautiful the protests are until they come to your neighborhood...
What came to my neighborhood were not protests. Just violence. In this post, I also dedicated an entire paragraph to explaining the difference.
I can't express my sorrow thinking of screaming patrons on your peaceful street. It really gets me.
And for the record, violence like that is almost never about protesting. It's what happens when a group of people decides they are released from social norms, or maybe above them. It's about mob mentality. It's not about ideals, righteousness, or zeal. Those I'm for, like Lee. This? this is trying to get away with something because the opportunity is there.
Just wanted to say that my school (where I study, the EHESS) was occupied for five days by people who had no connection to the school, and they destroyed a lot of stuff on the inside and taged all the wall, stole computers, destroyed equitment, etc. And when I went on thursday there was one black guy and the rest were white anarchists who might have grown up in the 6eme. So the "black/beur de banlieue" "that looks like the rioters who torched a bunch of cars" in november might be what we see on the news, and even in our own streets, but these aren't the only people committing violence. My classes haven't started, not because students are blocking the doors, but because a group of anarchists have been making hourly explosive threats.
And the police took over five days to kick them out. I hate you, Sarkozy.
sorry about the equipment misspelling.
j.