When planning this trip we wanted to ensure that we were here for two events - Fête de la Musique and Gay Pride Day. Fête de la Musique is a unique event that has occurred in Paris for the last 27 years on June 21st. It has spread throughout Europe is a festival of Music where performers are scattered throughout the city on street corners, in cafes and bars and at churches and museums. All kinds of music can be heard around the city and nearly everyone is out enjoying the sounds. Things really get going sometime in the afternoon and continue late into the next day. The Metro run all night to provide transportation for all the revelers.St. Eustache
We heard a variety of music and saw some interesting sites. Near our apartment is an area centered on the Forum des Halles. As we entered the area we noticed a significant presence of riot police. There were all decked out with padding and shields. It seemed
like overkill to us as there were lines short buses that brought the police into the area. Les Halles is an ancient market area and is heavily populated with cafes and shops. It is a major center, as many of the metro lines connect at Chatelet. There is a huge gothic style cathedral in this area know as St. Eustache. It has beautiful square columns. There were three women performing in the church accompanied by piano. We listened for awhile and then continued strolling through the area. We came upon a band that had passed out whistles to the crowd. It was a participatory performance and rather loud as everyone joined in.Acrobat at the Pompidou
Near the Pompidou there was an acrobat performing in the square. He had pulled several subjects from the audience to assist in his stunts.
After walking for awhile we decided to stop for lunch. The cafe we stopped at was right across from the Pompidou and the famous Stravinsky Fountain. We were having a nice lunch and we started to hear sounds of a demonstration. In the offing we could hear the beating of drums (large oil drums) and chanting of a crowd. They also had fireworks and flares with them that they were periodically shooting off. From the sound of it they were probably M-80's. These give off a sound similar to what you hear from firework displays. As lunch progressed the manager assured everyone that things were ok and that the noise was just part of their display/demonstration. The group had formed back in Les Halles and was on the march. Soon they became visible as they were marching directly in front of the cafe. Many wore masks disguising themselves. The march looked rather threatening and seemed to be working up a fever. I asked our waiter what it was all about and he said "I don't know an English word to describe it. They are French." The group marched past the cafe and into the streets.
Tear Gas to Quell the Demonstration
At this point, Carol decided that she would go to the bathroom back in the restaurant. Soon the sounds were beginning to diminish as the demonstration marched on. It wasn't long before we began seeing members of the demonstration running back into the Pompidou square. Many were coughing as if they had been tear gassed. One of the marchers came into the restaurant and yelled about the facist police. Soon all hell broke lose as the police were pursuing the group pushing them back. Rioters started grabbing chairs and tables from the restaurant. We quickly retreated into the restaurant as things looked really unsafe out there. Waiters were trying to grab as much as they could before the rabble could destroy their property. The manager started bringing down the gates on the windows, but left the main entrance open so the waiters culd bring chairs, tables, bottles, glasses and everything else into the safety of the restaurant.The Police Move In
The police barricade moved slowly forward and the demonstrators continued to hurl anything that they could grab at them. The air was acrid with tear gas. Windows on the Pompidou were graffiti and broken. A helicopter circled above to track the demonstration and inform the police force below. The police forced continued to press forward and moved the demonstrators back into Les Halles. They seemed to stop there and not pursue the group. It seemed their intent to prevent them from marching into the streets. We waited a bit for things to calm down, paid our bill (which we probably could have just walked off without paying) and got the hell out of there.We continued walking until we were across the river and far from the activities. The helicopter circled the area, apparently tracking the demonstrators. Once we were beyond the sounds and smells of the demonstration we felt safer.
What strikes me odd about the whole thing is that it did not seem to be a strange event. I found nothing on the internet about the demonstration or group that was behind the whole thing. The police seemed prepared and ready for it to happen and we just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Laura, Carol and Fey at W.O.S.
After a little time we continued on to other Fête de la Musique events. We heard a steel band in the Luxumborg gardens, and then heard several groups play at the Galway and W.O.S.All and all we had a great time. Just too much drama for me. We'll see what the Gay Pride Parade brings next weekend.....
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