Would you go to Paris on Monday?

[cobicat]

Just canceled a work trip to Paris due to concerns about the volatile situation there. I realize that central Paris is mostly unaffected (so far) but it seems like a bad time to visit. My boss (Paris based) has implied that I am being overly dramatic.

Would you go?

Well we are now in the centre of Perpignan and currently it is a chilled Saturday night. Plenty of people out eating and drinking.

As far as I know there isn't a curfew butbseeing as we were up at 3.30am today it won't be a late one

FWIW according to BFMTV (One of the French rolling news channels) there's a bit of aggro in central Marseille this evening, nothing much being reported from elsewhere yet.

According to contacts in another big southern French city it's all fairly normal, has been for the last couple of days, but restrictions on public transport this evening (not a complete shutdown) probably means their socialising in clubs/restaurants this evening might have to finish early for once...

Yes

I hope she’ll be ok, there’s no way in hell I’d have let that happen.

I’m in Menton and it is all good here. Have to travel to Paris on Wednesday so for now I plan to, but monitoring the situation.

BBC are reporting tear gas has been used in Marseilles

Brrrrrrrrr - bit difficult to change as Eurostar tickets were today. Plus she's an adult and can make her own decisions! They've arrived and are safely in their hostel. They haven't seen anything out of the ordinary. They won't be going out tonight, but will tomorrow.

I think you are brave. I hope she is okay.

I landed in Paris today with my ds4. We are staying in between the centre and dlp. We haven't seen anything to worry about. We don't plan to be out late anyway and as the guidance hadn't changed to do not travel we are carrying on.

There was a bit of footage on BFMTV earlier showing a few rounds being used used earlier this afternoon to disperse a group of what looked like teenagers giving the police (and the odd glass window) a bit of grief.

The police also appear to be actively discouraging any large gatherings in Paris ATM.

For info BFMTV are fairly objective, not one of the state controlled channels and even they are reporting tonight is quieter than previous nights. It certainly looks like so far tonight (and it's running in towards midnight here) as if Marseille aside it's calming down, it's very easy for the general public to not get involved in any agro, and certainly in Paris for individuals going about legit business to walk through the police lines pretty much unhindered.

I'm making myself a hostage to fortune here but I do think perhaps some comments being expressed upthread by some posters are a bit alarmist.

Really? How can you call the arrest of 2400 people - hundreds in hospital, business torched alarmist?

Can I ask if you are you actually in France ATM?

Whether you are or not we've established between us in pps that we've got very different views on this so I know we won't agree but anyhow my take on this is:

The reality for us locally (very large city) was one day of trouble (about 100 arrests) on one housing estate in our local city on Thursday... this was nowhere near the city centre, so tourists, shoppers, students going to/from the various facs etc generally weren't aware of it.

Nevertheless we made a UK papers map of shame, accompanied by a headline of "France in Flames"..Since those headlines it looks like (Marseille aside) it's quieting down, fingers crossed...

This thread was about the risks of travelling to Paris in the near future - in my opinion use some common sense and whether you are a teenager inter-railing or someone a bit older travelling on business and you should be able to go about your business/holiday OK...and as for "alarmist"....yes, some posts did seem particularly alarmist..perhaps deliberately so.

Completely agree. We travelled across France yesterday. We arrived in Paris, walked from Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon, took a train south through Montpelier, Narbonne and Beziers and then went out for drinls and dinner in centrsa Perpignan.

All fine. Tbe only issue was we were delayed for 50 mins due to trespassers on tne track between Narbonne and Perpignan.

It is undoutedly a serious situation and you should take care in cities, but France on tne whole is not on fire or dangerous.

Writing as someone who lived and taught in a REP+ in the 93 for ten years, I have some sympathy with @Return2thebasic 's POV but I simply do not think that a) destroying the livelihoods of people in the same situation b) destroying the instruments of l'ascenseur républicain (schools, libraries etc) and ruining the life chances of those younger than you is an acceptable response. And as always, it is the women who have it hardest. Why are they not rioting?

You think that because you're a overblown idea of the situation it'd be reasonable to "no way in hell" let adults do something?

Not all parents are controlling. Many recognise that regardless of their opinion of a situation their young adult children have independence. (And would have brought them up to be able to make reasonable choices.)

Are you fantasising the whole of Paris is like something out of The Purge? (It's no btw.)

No doubt flippyflappy's daughter considered the situation and made reasonable adjustments. (No doubt that is, seeing flippyflappy already replied how her dd is being sensible.)

I will add my dd told me that the hostel had advised all guests to stay in for the evening which is what my dd & friend did. She had a good evening meeting some new people.

I agree with you. But I think it's wise to rely on these youth with little or poor education and growing up with that kind background could think rational with empathy to others. They can't.

People who have power have the responsibility to change the system. One way or another, it's a losing cause to expect these youth to see the views on the other side. They are too much filled with anger and lack of caring about the society.

I'm not trying to justify what they've done. But every year goes by with no change, this type of riots just got worse and worse. Something needs to be done.

It'sNOT wise to rely...

I know none of you have crystal balls… but, based on previous events, and any knowledge you have, do you think it will be calm enough for Lollapalloza festival to still take place ? (weekend starting 21st June, Longchamp Hippodrome)

Well, there's clearly something more than poverty and exclusion driving the behaviour if a control group experiencing the same poverty and exclusion or worse, i.e. women living in les cités, are not exhibiting the same behaviour. I do agree that the response probably has to be top-down, though. Bring back Jospin's police de proximité.

Yes

Longchamp is in a very posh part of town. The rioters are shitting on their own doorsteps and if they did try and attack Neuilly - Auteuil etc. they would get clamped down on very very hard.

Supposed to be visiting for a night on the 12th for a concert at L'Olympia. 😩😩😩

TBF the IDF (greater Paris[ region is home to about 12 million people, the vast majority of them unaffected by the riots.

I don’t understand the need to downplay it, and maybe that is part of the problem no?

It is a volatile and dangerous situation. The brought in the equivalent of the SAS last night, and some of the army - I am sure that wasn’t a decision made lightly.

Rather than minimising, why not look at the reasons in a clear eyed way and address the issues robustly? France is an incredible country, and it doesn’t deserve this, but there needs to be transparency about the issues (we all have them) the lack of social mobility and economic opportunity and inequality must be surely be a good starting point.

If you are going to insist on saying nothing to see hear folks - those voices demanding change will only become louder and more violent.