accounts
Archive of accounts with radicals and working class activists on libcom.org.
"Why I am rioting"
Today Le Monde has published interviews with the rioting youths of yesterdays disturbances at the Place de la Nation in the East of Paris.
Here we've translated the bulk of the short interviews and publish them in English so the rest of the world can hear the thoughts of those at the heart of this crisis.
You can hear the interviews here, and we recommend you follow the link and read the transcript whilst listening to the audio.
Eyewitness account from Paris
A first-hand account from Hermit, who was present yesterday night at the Place de la Sorbonne, where there were clashes between the CRS and protesters.
At 2100, around 400 students and a few kids from the banlieu were scattered around the Latin Quarter, in small groups controlled by the police in the standoffish British style. There were police lines at all the intersections close to the place de la Sorbonne, searching people and stopping mass movement.
"Three generations walked hand in hand today"
A first hand account of todays demonstrations from one of our contacts on the ground in Paris.
Photo by our correspondent.
Decisions taken in university general assemblies
A report of the assembly of the Sorbonne and Université René Descartes, posted to libcom.org by 'Reglisse', one of the students who occupied the Sorbonne last weekend.
The Sorbonne will not reopen its gates on monday like officials have said. The university will remain gates closed as long as the unrest shall go on: this is what has been announced by the officials, yesterday.
Nice demonstration report
A participant's account of today's anti-CPE demonstration in Nice.
Successful demonstration...
Today, despite grey skies and rain there was a massive mobilisation and as I could hear them chant during the demonstration: Rennes weather, Rennes Demonstration. In fact, with between 5,000 (according to the police) and 15,000 (according to the organisers) people there were plenty out there.
An account from our reporter in Marseille
An account of the day's events from our reporter in Marseille as a red and black flag flies over city's Town Hall.
Organisers have reported over 130,000 demonstrators in the City of Marseille this afternoon, the largest demonstration outside Paris. The demonstration left the Porte D`Aix, under Marseilles own Arc de Triomphe at 3 p.m. to take a circular route around the city to arrive at the Vieux Port.
Report from the Censier occupation
A student from Censier university reports on the occupation and strike there which has been going for two weeks.
The account includes efforts made to spread the struggle to workers and academic staff at Censier, and outside the university.
Inside the occupation movement: ‘Together we are recreating our university’
Sorbonne occupier speaks to the Unrest in France blog
Here we are pleased to publish a first hand account of one of the first wave of students who occupied Sorbonne University.
Hi. I'm a French student of The Sorbonne. I just wanted to write a few things, as i was pretty much moved by the fact that European youths are following what is happening in Paris.
Toulouse: extreme right confront anti-CPE blockade
We reported a story this afternoon of far right fascists attacking an anti-CPE campus blockade. This has since been disputed by those who were on the ground. This is an account of what we now believe to have happened.
TOULOUSE - At the University of Social Sciences of Toulouse 1 this morning the extreme right, with the support of the Administration and Profs, attacked strikers anti CPE - confrontation took place.
Reports on the mood of the Parisian universities
Reports and eyewitness accounts of different universities across Paris.
Rough translation of more of an article from Tuesday's Liberation:
Sorbonne University, Paris Monday, 11h00
