Headlines: in the heat of the American night

Audio 05:37

By: Norbert Navarro

Publicity

Wind of anger over the United States after the death of George Floyd. "  In the heat of the night  ", that, first of all, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, north-central United States. That's where it all started. "  The death of George Floyd ignites America  ", launches in A Liberation . Fourth consecutive night of urban violence, and the intensity of the clashes "  increases every day  ", notes Libéon the spot, since a policeman, during an arrest on the public highway last Monday, smothered George Floyd, whom he had immobilized on the ground, one knee supported, for long minutes, on the neck of this man black that the police suspected of having wanted to sell a counterfeit 20 dollar bill and who, suffocating, begged, in vain, to let him even breathe. When, at the end of this asphyxiating posture of immobilization, the policeman released his fatal embrace, George Floyd had lost consciousness first, then lost his life.

Since then, it's indeed anger in Minneapolis, and Liberation relates it. Two nights ago, “  a group broke down barriers, smashed windows and set fire to a Minneapolis police station, evacuated shortly before (…) The doors of a supermarket in the northeast of the city were forced open on Thursday . Ballet of cars and slamming chests, in the large parking lot of the shopping center. The broken glass creaks under the wheels of the trolleys, filled by young people who loot the business without hurrying,  ”points Libé . Which newspaper also reports movements of violent revolt not far from there, in Saint-Paul, but in New York, Phoenix (Arizona), Los Angeles (California), Columbus (Ohio) or Denver (Colorado). Because like the coronavirus, "  the clashes are contagious, in a country on the brink after years of police violence against African-Americans, who have remained largely unpunished,  " explains Liberation .

On Twitter, US President Donald Trump reacted strongly against the looters; in Saint-Paul and Minneapolis, "a  state of emergency has been declared and four police officers have been laid off,  " notes Le Figaro . The newspaper also reports that "  the protests have spread through other cities in the United States  ." In addition to New York, already mentioned, Le Figaro adds to the list Denver, Albuquerque and Portland, but also Los Angeles and Memphis. "  In the heat of the night  ", it was a novel, fifty-five years ago, then a film. In the USA, it was yesterday. Again. And always.

The terraces war

The deconfinement in France, and the French who are preparing to taste with delight this air of freedom found floating over the country on this weekend of Pentecost. Air that promises to embalm during the reopening of parks and gardens in France today, pending the opening on Tuesday of the terraces of cafes and restaurants that have them, a first for two and a half months. According to the National Group of Independents, quoted by the daily Le Parisien , in terms of the terrace, "  nearly 15,000 bars, cafes and restaurants in the capital have one, but 6,000 to 8,000 do not. In the other departments of the region, only a small third would have an outdoor space  ”. No terrace, no reopening. And in Le Parisien , a "  consultant  " in the creation of restaurants, bars and other bistros wonders, anxious: "  What will become of these little bistros without an exterior ? It is a question of their survival  ”, she said to the Parisian , a daily newspaper which thus gives its readers the news from the front of what it calls“  the war on the terraces  ”.

French Pentecost

Terraces, therefore, but also, indeed, parks and gardens which can be reopened from today in France. They can be closed by town halls, but with caution, in the areas where they had remained closed, in particular in Paris. Enough to satisfy many French people at the start of a weekend that promises to be summer over a large part of the country.

In the press, this surprising investigation into deconfinement in France. The French are certainly satisfied, we would have suspected, but the at least astonishing character of the Odoxa poll published by Le Figaro is to be discovered not only in the extent of this satisfaction but also in the true satisfaction that the French indirectly grant the government and Prime Minister Édouard Philippe in particular in their management of the deconfinement.

According to this survey, therefore, “  55% of French people find that the deconfinement plan is well suited. This is 15 points more than a month ago,  ”said Le Figaro . The daily also reports that "  7 out of 10 French people believe that the head of government was clear (72%) during his press conference. Two-thirds say he was up to the task (66%) and has shown he knows where he's going (64%). Six out of 10 French people found it convincing (62%) and think that they told the French the truth (60%) - a feat when we remember the crisis of confidence at the start of the epidemic,  ” remarks Le Figaro , who can't get over it. "This is a spectacular reversal of public opinion (...), the French are now applauding the deconfinement plan presented by the executive  ". After the nurses, we applaud the plan. So goes Pentecost of France.

Newsletter Receive all international news directly in your mailbox

Follow all international news by downloading the RFI application

• Newspaper
• France
• United States
• Society