• The occupants of the Théâtre de la Criée in Marseille are protesting against the reform of unemployment insurance.

  • Since May 1, they have occupied not only the hall but also the great hall of the theater, preventing any resumption of shows for the moment.

  • A demonstration is organized on Saturday, while the reform should normally enter into force on July 1.

It is through the entry of the artists that one enters the theater of the Criée in Marseille, occupied since March 15 to protest against the reform of unemployment insurance, like a hundred other cultural places in France. The atmosphere this Tuesday is studious. A workshop has just ended, one of the many that punctuate the occupation of the theater, with almost daily GAs and more joyful moments of free expression, outside on the forecourt.

"From the outside, there is sometimes a light vision of what we do here, because we are young", regrets Yasmine, 20 years old.

As a student, she joined the movement to “repeal a reform that does not only concern intermittent workers, but a lot of precarious people”.

In total, around thirty occupants are there day and night.

“Yes, we can be seen dancing in front of the Auction on Wednesdays and Sundays, but behind there are logistics that require time and energy,” says Yasmine.

We work, and that goes from the opening of a toll, as in La Ciotat last weekend, to who does the dishes this evening!

"

"Always a passing world"

Next meeting next Saturday, with an event that will start from the Frac and then run along the Old Port to the Criée, where speeches are scheduled. “For two months, the place has become a place of life, exchanges, meetings, there are always people passing by”, smiles Basile, a young actor present from the first days of the occupation. For the moment, there is no question of freeing the places as claimed by the director Macha Makeïeff who, in a forum with other directors of public theaters, called "for the lifting of occupations by continuing the social movement by d 'other means'. "The reopening sequence has arrived, the theater must be able to find the public," Macha Makeïeff also declared on France Musique,by calling for a "calm and intelligent solution" (at the time of this writing, our request for an interview had not been followed up).

"We must stop reversing the roles, it is not us who create the precariousness", replies Yasmine.

She recounts this strong moment of the mobilization that was "the taking of the great hall" on May 1st.

"We had everything prepared, spotted the codes of the padlock".

Nearly 500 people took place to debate.

“By taking the large room, we blocked the activity, continues Basile, his features drawn by fatigue.

The decision was not easy to take, but we have the impression that it is the only lever we have left to have an impact, to be heard.

"

"We plan to film everything"

Inside the room, there are no more rehearsals. The big curtain is drawn, erecting a physical and symbolic barrier with the administration. Mattresses are placed on the proscenium, a hammock has taken place in a spectator's box. "End of a class culture" also proclaims a banner.

The May program has been canceled due to occupancy, but the Auction also has dates in June and July that it hopes to secure.

Among the occupants, the fear of eviction is there, even if for the moment neither the director of the theater nor the City of Marseille, owner of the walls, have brought in the police.

“We planned to film everything in a certain way,” says Basile.

I think it's strong enough to see CRS brigades intervening on a stage where people are there to defend their rights ”.

Society

Unemployment insurance: Yes, a former minimum wage worker will see his allowance drop by more than 300 euros with the reform

Culture

Coronavirus in Marseille: "A spectator every 4 m2, it's atrocious", the theater of La Criée does not resume performances

  • Marseilles

  • Unemployment insurance

  • Occupation

  • Theater

  • Culture

  • Reform