"Occupy Paris", a future with a past

Paris's "Occupy" movement -- roots in the gigantic conflicts of the past, spirit and discipline. But new populations were absent.

Les Indignés -- racines dans les conflits du passé, esprit joyeux, discipline -- mais les populations nouvelles étaient absentes.

Commune troops guard cannon on heights of Belleville, 1871

Les Indignés ("the Outraged") are France's version of "Occupy Wall Street".

Deliberately or not,

their demonstration on October 15 2011

harked back to the city's revolutionary past

Rallying -point at Belleville metro stop, down the street from the heights

The main starting-point was Belleville, in the working-class east -- an epicenter of the Paris Commune (Paris's last and most tragic working-class insurrection, in 1871). Other starting-points were railway stations for people coming from elsewhere in France and Europe, or from central Paris. But orchestras were present in Belleville alone, which means that that is where the greatest effort was made.

Inspiration from the French Resistance

"Time of Outrage" by Stephane Hessel

"Les Indignés", a name that the Continental "Occupy" movements have adopted, comes from a call by a member of the French Resistance to adapt the ideals of the Resistance, as opposed to those of capitalism.

That is the name of a booklet published exactly a year ago. Sold for 3€, it became an instant best seller and and has been translated into almost all European languages (even Esperanto).

Good humor and discipline

I saw only three "organizers", a man and two women who walked at the head of the march, indicating the route and passing out flyers. I asked the man whether he was part of a service d'ordre -- a team of burly guys that ensures order during political events. He said that there wasn't any, and that the demonstration had been very quickly pulled together.

The demonstration was totally peaceful, including at the end, when uncontrollable elements (provocateurs?) sometimes mar demonstrations' spirit. And there were no drugs, alcohol or even smoking -- extraordinary for Paris. 

New populations, visible by their absence

I did see a sole black man, who said he had come on his own through a website, but that people who didn't see the site wouldn't know. And when I asked the "organizer" just mentioned why that was, he said that he would have informed African friends if there had been more time. Absence of information may indeed be a reason. I myself heard about the march by accident.

Deeper reasons may be political refugees' terrifying memories of demonstrating at home, the greater likelihood of police violence for people of color, new populations often coming from rural backgrounds, where there is no culture of mobilization and the weakening of working-class organizations.

But one would think that mainstream progressives would seek links with such immigrant groups as women's associations. They don't seem to (as far as I know).

Supportive bystanders

Young men reading the flyer

Most onlookers hadn't heard of the parade, but did know who the Indignés were and seemed to approve them. I saw many people reading the flyers. A few joined in.

Back to the route and to Paris's revolutionary past

This park covers over the canal. 

The parade marched down the rue de Belleville, a working-class artery that has witnessed frightful battles. It begins next to a park that covers over a canal (the Canal Saint-Martin). The canal suddenly dips underground because the uncovered waterway had slowed down government troops advance into Belleville during the Revolution of 1848 (which I'll also explain at another time). 

So when victory was assured, a new law-and-order government (the Second Empire) covered over the canal.

The very wide street that leads to the large open Place

At the park, the marchers came to a wide, straight street (Rue du Faubourg du Temple).

Hard to barricade, good for marching troops

That street, which dates from the same time as the overpass, let troops march quickly toward it. 

Another reason why Parisian insurgents were hard to suppress was the warren of narrow, sometimes medieval streets that were easy to barricade. So the authorities tore them down the houses and built wide arteries, creating the Paris that we know (mainly in the 1850's and '60's). Those streets and boulevards, which are lined with trees and elegant stone houses, gave the city its cohesion and much of its beauty. They also let in light and air, reduced traffic jams -- and besides being difficult to barricade, allowed the quick movement of horses, cannon and infantry.* 

Place de la République

It was to that vast Place de la République that the march came next. It was meant for massing troops. Other examples, created at about the same time, are all in the then-working-class center or east -- the Place de la Nation, the Place d'Italie, the enlarged Place de la Bastille the Place de l'Hôtel de Ville (City Hall) and the vast esplanade in front of Notre Dame Cathedral.

http://www.privileged-entries.org/english/daytime-suggestions/celebrated-sites/notre-dame.html 

Place de la République

Americans were present...

Notice the hand signals, which come from Occupy Wall Street and the Spanish Indignados.

Several thousand people

Paris's demonstration was less important than many of those elsewhere -- unemployment is less dramatic than in southern Europe, the protective social system reduces distress, banks are regulated and media have concentrated on primaries to the presidential election in May. 

Yet the number of demonstrators was very much more than the "several hundred" that was usually reported.

Proclaiming the Commune at l'Hotel de Ville (in 1871)

Were demonstrators aware that they were marching past sites of such significance? The young, at least, couldn't have been. History is written by the victors, and the decline of the French working-class has meant that its story is downplayed. In fact, a brilliant, progressive young journalist  with whom I recently spoke did not know what a "barricade"** was.

But facts are tenacious. 

We'll see what happens next. 

* Most current explanations of that transformation emphasize the need to modernize a medieval city and downplay or omit its military aspect. 

** Barricade: an obstacle made of anything rebels can get their hands on to keep troops from entering streets that they control. The term comes from "barriques", wine barrels which Parisians used to block off streets during their first rebellion (in 1358).