Demonstration of September 17, 2020 in Paris.
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Nicolas Raffin / 20 Minutes
Several unions (CGT, FSU, Solidaires) and student organizations marched this Thursday, September 17.
They ask that the social issue (increase in wages, employment) not be obscured by the health crisis.
The coronavirus epidemic has not disrupted the habits of protesters.
By closing my eyes a little, the demonstration of this Thursday, September 17 in Paris looks a lot like the back-to-school mobilizations of previous years.
The same sound trucks, the same slogans, the same glass of 7-year-old rum at 3 euros at the bar, the same anger against a government deemed insensitive to the social issue, and even concern for employment.
So much for the similarities.
Because by opening our eyes, we discover thousands of masked demonstrators and supposed to apply barrier gestures against the coronavirus.
Wearing a mask is in any case compulsory in Paris, the coverage rate for protesting mouths and nostrils fluctuates between 99.5% and 100% in the procession.
If a sign denounces a "health dictatorship", few people speak anti-mask.
"They are useless" swears Hervé.
This does not prevent this garbage collector from respecting the law: “I don't want to be fined!
".
A wise decision, knowing that the demonstrators are closely supervised by the CRS, and that no one wants to try to remove their piece of cloth to see what the consequences are.
"Some colleagues did not come"
No, to find the bad students, you have to look on the side of fellow journalists, who congregate to interview Philippe Martinez and forget the principle of physical distancing.
Behind his white mask, the leader of the CGT says: "There is a lot of anger, and at the same time the climate is anxiety".
The latest reports indeed show an increase in resuscitation admissions and the Minister of Health, Olivier Véran, explained this Thursday afternoon that certain territories such as Marseille could have "even stronger restrictions" due to the circulation of the virus. .
The context is therefore not easy to manage for those who want to mobilize.
"Some colleagues used to demonstrating did not come this time because they are too stressed by the coronavirus", recognizes Myriam, who works at the Ministry of Public Finance in Bercy.
She, on the other hand, is not worried: “even if the distances are not respected, we are outside.
And then we are not supposed to touch each other ”.
"As long as people wear the mask, it's not a big deal," reassures Ishbel, who works at the hospital.
"I take as many risks here as when I do my shopping"
Marching during an epidemic period is not a problem either for Hichem Aktouche, secretary of the Sud Commerces union in Ile-de-France: "I take as many risks by coming here as by doing my shopping in the evening" assures- he.
Before ironing: “Before, we already had masks in demo, but to protect ourselves from tear gas!
".
The new constraints do not prevent protesters from keeping the essentials in mind.
Between March (start of confinement) and the end of August, 345 “job protection” plans (PSE), or social plans in less diplomatic language, were identified in France.
This is almost 50% more than last year.
As GDP is expected to plunge 10% this year, the list of business closures is very likely to grow, and with it, the number of processions.
The demonstrators crossed this afternoon recall it in their own way: no question of letting the social question fade behind the health emergency.
On the edges of the masks of the CGT security service, a slogan was embroidered: "Masked, not muzzled".
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