French school children on strike

How does looting, smashing up shops, destroying Limoges Town Hall (which survived two world wars), fire bombing cars and police help their cause 🤷‍♀️

I am well aware that France has a history of riots, I just don’t get why now in the 21st century this is deemed acceptable.

I live near Limoges and it's so sad to see this beautiful building destroyed needlessly.
There is a lot of unrest here about so many things Le Penn stoking things with declaring France is for the French with all that implies. I know several people who say they will leave France if Le Penn becomes President. One couple I know have already moved to another country leaving behind their very successful business.

GrannyGravy13

It’s not just France, there were cost of living protests in Belgium, Italy and Portugal yesterday.

A reminder that the grass is not always greener on the other side of the channel.

There were 'demonstrations' in Albania, too, a day or two ago; about government corruption the BBC said, but IIRC cost of living came into it.

I'm seeing a common theme in these disturbances. Can anyone else?

I wouldn't be surprised if the UK didn't follow suit at some time...

MaizieD I hope you are wrong, I really wouldn’t like to see the U.K. burning.

GrannyGravy13

How does looting, smashing up shops, destroying Limoges Town Hall (which survived two world wars), fire bombing cars and police help their cause 🤷‍♀️

I am well aware that France has a history of riots, I just don’t get why now in the 21st century this is deemed acceptable.

Destroying the country you live in does nothing whstsoever to make anything better.

It's helping someone's cause, the question is who?

GrannyGravy13

MaizieD I hope you are wrong, I really wouldn’t like to see the U.K. burning.

We already have rioting periodically, I believe most countries do. It’s not the same sparks, every one is different, but they are a recurrent theme. Some are politically motivated, but a lot of them are spontaneous when something happens, like a death or an event people object to.

Casdon

GrannyGravy13

MaizieD I hope you are wrong, I really wouldn’t like to see the U.K. burning.

We already have rioting periodically, I believe most countries do. It’s not the same sparks, every one is different, but they are a recurrent theme. Some are politically motivated, but a lot of them are spontaneous when something happens, like a death or an event people object to.

I know that Casdon but I cannot remember riots across the U.K. like we are seeing in France at the moment.

I expect the governments of Italy, Belgium and Portugal along with Albania are hoping that their riots are not going to escalate like those in France.

The most recent large scale riots in the UK were in 2011 following the death of Mark Duggan by the police.

Date: August 6–11, 2011

Location: London, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, and other English cities

Cause: Sparked by the fatal police shooting of Mark Duggan in Tottenham, London, turning into widespread civil unrest, looting, and arson.

Scale: Over 3,000 arrests were made, nearly 3,000 properties and businesses were attacked, and police deployment in London surged from 3,000 to 16,000 officers.

Casualties: 5 people died and more than 200 were injured.

From Wikipedia, but many sources quoted.

Seems they've redirected their demands for shinier classrooms with a bit of wanton destruction and looting..

FriedGreenTomatoes2

Seems they've redirected their demands for shinier classrooms with a bit of wanton destruction and looting..

The man on the news last night said that these were simply rioters, not protesters.

I think there is always a group waiting for the chance to cash in on a protest with a bit of looting and general destruction. They usually have no links to the protestors.

Violence never solved the cost of living crisis. Only work does that.

FriedGreenTomatoes2

Violence never solved the cost of living crisis. Only work does that.

More likely to shove up the blinking prices.
Just watched a guy shove two cans of shaving foam up his duke, the good stuff, not the unbranded stuff next to it.
They think it’s a faceless crime 🙄

petra

MT62
Black guy I saw being interviewed said he was there to protest
Why the need to point out that it was a black guy
Would you have felt the need to mention that it was a white guy being interviewed 🤷‍♀️

Well it was a black guy, yes I would point out if it was a white guy.

FriedGreenTomatoes2

Violence never solved the cost of living crisis. Only work does that.

That is nonsense.

If your 'work' is poorly paid you will never escape a cost of living crisis.

FriedGreenTomatoes2

Violence never solved the cost of living crisis. Only work does that.

I have worked all my life and continue to do so. As does my partner.

We ( and many many others) are suffering due to the so called COL crisis.

I remember working full time as did Hinswlf and we took on mini extra jobs of an evening at one time (I sold and blew up helium balloons two evenings a week and Himself sold football pools every Thursday night door to door in a rough area for two years,, all weathers) after working full time.

Needs must sometimes.

A strong work ethic. It’s what we did. 🤷‍♀️

At least France retains its commitment to secular education, a fundamental principle of a cohesive society in which common civic values should take precedence over religious or cultural divisions.

We ( and many many others) are suffering due to the so called COL crisis

Sorry to hear that.

Will AB be able to turn things around?
Now there is a question.

fancythat

^We ( and many many others) are suffering due to the so called COL crisis^

Sorry to hear that.

Will AB be able to turn things around?
Now there is a question.

Not in my lifetime. Hopefully for the next lot.

The trouble is that it isn't a cohesive French society though. The strict focus on secular compliance in education actually masks its very failures. The poorest people live in the slummiest areas, they attend the worst schools, they are given the most inexperienced teachers. There is no way out.

Is it those places in particular, where the riots started, do you know?
[not at all doubting what you have written].

fancythat

Is it those places in particular, where the riots started, do you know?
[not at all doubting what you have written].

Indeed yes. I spoke about the schools in Créteil right at the start of this thread, 16 days ago when the protests started.

I taught in a lycée in a very bourgeois town in Western France, some years ago now. I checked it out and was surprised to find there were indeed protests there by the pupils. This suggests to me that the discontent is far far reaching.

They have a serious problem going on.