(AP) PARIS — Elisa Fares, a French high school student, is experiencing a momentous day. She is participating in her first protest at the age of 17.
Graduating from onlooker to demonstrator is a centuries-old rite of passage in a nation that, with its revolution in 1789, showed the world about the power of the people. Now, that nation is once again simmering with rage against its leaders. As she prepares to march along the streets of Paris, where people have for ages similarly rejected authority and proclaimed: “Non!” Fares appears both exhilarated and apprehensive.
Fares is being trained by two buddies who were brought to protests by their parents as children but are neither older than 18 or protest veterans. Gas and eyedrops are prepared.
masks in case the police use tear gas, as they have been known to do recently.
One of the pals, Coline Marionneau, who is also 17 years old, declares, “The French are known for fighting, and we’ll fight.” “My mum attends several protests… She advises protesting if you have anything to say.
The determined expression on their youthful cheeks, according to French President Emmanuel Macron, only portends a worsening disaster. With contentious pension measures that he rammed through parliament and which, most significantly, raise the legal retirement age from 62 to 64, his government has set up a firestorm of ire.
His opponents have turned to full-on disobedience mode, incensed not just by the possibility of having to work for longer hours, but also by the manner in which Macron enforced it.
Fares, a first-time protester, claimed that her mother had previously opposed her decision to demonstrate but had since changed her mind.
The teen claims, “She stated she wouldn’t stop me if I wanted to fight.”
Opponents compare Macron to previous French kings and charge that he virtually rules by edict. King Louis XVI was executed during the French Revolution, bringing an unfortunate end to their reign. Macron is not at risk of it occurring. Yet, Macron is being taught a hard lesson about French people power once more as he struggles in the legislature and competes in streets that are piled high with foul rubbish that has not been picked up by striking employees. Parisian graffiti made allusion to 1789.
King Charles III’s scheduled state visit this week has to be postponed indefinitely due to Macron’s severe lack of effort. Germany will now have the distinction of becoming the first ally outside of Europe to welcome Charles as monarch, not France.
Charles’ visit to France would have taken place on the same day as a fresh round of strikes and protests that are anticipated to draw countless numbers of protestors on Tuesday. According to Macron, the royal visit would have undoubtedly been their objective, risking the development of a “detestable scenario.”
Inspired by that triumph, the protest movement is continuing and enlisting new members, even those who are so young that the backlash won’t directly affect them for many years.
The protest is raging in France under Macron.
DONE BY JOHN LEICESTER
RIGHT NOW FILE – On March 23, 2023, protesters march through Paris during a rally. With his ill-received pension reforms that he pushed through parliament, French President Emmanuel Macron has sparked a fury that is spreading like wildfire. He is facing opposition from young people, some of whom are first-time protesters. Moreover, violence has increased. Christophe Ena, AP Picture; file
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In this March 23, 2023, file photo, demonstrators march during a demonstration in Paris. With his ill-received pension reforms that he pushed through parliament, French President Emmanuel Macron has sparked a fury that is spreading like wildfire. He is facing opposition from young people, some of whom are first-time protesters. Moreover, violence has increased. Christophe Ena, AP Picture; file
Reuters — PARIS A busy day
has arrived for Elisa Fares, a high school student from France. She is 17 years old and participating in her first protest.
Graduating from onlooker to demonstrator is a centuries-old rite of passage in a nation that taught the world about people power with its revolution of 1789 and is currently simmering with rage against its leaders. As she gets ready to march around the streets of Paris, where people have long rejected authority and proclaimed: “Non,” Fares appears both exhilarated and scared.
Fares is being taught the ropes by two pals who, although not being older than 18, have already participated in protests and whose parents took them when they were younger. Eyedrops and gas masks have been prepared in case police use tear gas, which they have recently done quite a bit.
One of the pals, Coline Marionneau, who is also 17 years old, declares, “The French are known for fighting, and we’ll fight.” “My mum attends several protests… She advises protesting if you have something to say.
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The determined expression on their youthful cheeks, according to French President Emmanuel Macron, only portends a worsening disaster. With contentious pension measures that he rammed through parliament and which, most significantly, raise the legal retirement age from 62 to 64, his government has set up a firestorm of ire.
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Not furious
His opponents have shifted to full-on disobedience mode due to the possibility of working for longer stretches of time as well as the manner in which Macron enforced it. His second and last tenure as president might become considerably more challenging due to their ongoing strikes and protests. Months of violent protests against social inequality by so-called yellow vest activists shook it as well.
Fares, a first-time protester, claimed that her mother had previously opposed her decision to demonstrate but had since changed her mind.
The teen claims, “She stated she wouldn’t stop me if I wanted to fight.”
Opponents compare Macron to previous French kings and charge that he virtually rules by edict. Their rule came to a disastrous end: King Louis XVI led the French Revolution.
This winter, he has kept his heating off, instead saving the money for train fares to the capital, so he can protest every weekend, he said.
“My grandfather who fought in World War I, got the war medal. He would rise from his grave if he saw me sitting at home, in my sofa, not doing anything,” Leblanc said.
“Everything we’ve obtained has been with our tears and blood.”
