definitely isn't that much fun. As you probably all know,the second round of the French presidential elections took place on Sunday (yesterday). Nicolas Sarkozy (right wing) won. He is described by many as far-right, and it is true that he certainly took many of Le Pen's ideas. Anyway, I am not going to enter that debate, I'll just add that I didn't vote for him, and I don't like him much.
I have recently moved to the Boulevard de la Liberté, and the UMP (Sarkozy's party) is literally round the corner. Yesterday evening, after the results of the election, some people began demonstrating (wonderful French tradition). They, of course, soon arrived in my street, and things started to get pretty violent, as you can see on the pictures. They didn't make much material damage, apart from burning all the dustbins and breaking a telephone booth. Well, that was some show. I watched some of it from my balcone, until I got some tear-gas in the eyes. Not smart, I know.
The surprise came from the fact that they did it again tonight. It actually ended just now, after maybe 30 minutes, when it lasted for over 2 hours yesterday evening. Not much damage once more, and the show was quite unimpressive this time, apart from the few times when the CRS was throwing their kind of tear-gas bombs. They make very nice fireworks when they explode :)
I am of course being ironic when I say that it is nice and that I enjoy it, but, well, the people who were in the streets tonight and yesterday were only there because they were looking for trouble. I am not pleased to have Sarkozy as a president, and I can't wait to leave France again, but going in the street under that pretence when all they want is actually causing damage and fighting is still pretty lame. At least, I don't own a car anymore, because I wouldn't fancy being one of the people who had parked on the Boulevard tonight.
I have recently moved to the Boulevard de la Liberté, and the UMP (Sarkozy's party) is literally round the corner. Yesterday evening, after the results of the election, some people began demonstrating (wonderful French tradition). They, of course, soon arrived in my street, and things started to get pretty violent, as you can see on the pictures. They didn't make much material damage, apart from burning all the dustbins and breaking a telephone booth. Well, that was some show. I watched some of it from my balcone, until I got some tear-gas in the eyes. Not smart, I know.
The surprise came from the fact that they did it again tonight. It actually ended just now, after maybe 30 minutes, when it lasted for over 2 hours yesterday evening. Not much damage once more, and the show was quite unimpressive this time, apart from the few times when the CRS was throwing their kind of tear-gas bombs. They make very nice fireworks when they explode :)
I am of course being ironic when I say that it is nice and that I enjoy it, but, well, the people who were in the streets tonight and yesterday were only there because they were looking for trouble. I am not pleased to have Sarkozy as a president, and I can't wait to leave France again, but going in the street under that pretence when all they want is actually causing damage and fighting is still pretty lame. At least, I don't own a car anymore, because I wouldn't fancy being one of the people who had parked on the Boulevard tonight.
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