maandag, maart 06, 2006

Political Rally in Paris goes Haywire

Manifestation: Paris (Nation) / February 28th, 2006
Subject: Protest of the murder of a Jew by a mostly Muslim extortionist group who claimed they held him for ransom because they assumed the stereotype of a rich jew to be true


I had just arrived at my friends apartment in Paris, when he explains to me the police are sealing off the roads because there will be a manifestation (protest) today. The topic of the protest is a jewish guy was kidnapped by this group of extortionists, that chose him because of the old stereotype that jews are rich. It as been turned into a anti-semetic hate crime and all the jewish groups, and muslim groups, took to the streets, with high ranking political and religious leaders, but the muslim groups joined the jewish groups in solidarity, so it was really a bit strange and hard to understand if they were with each other or against.

While running around with the pack of angry protestors, I took lots of photographs. I was told by many muslim youth and jewish youth not to take photos. There was supposedly a group of 'radical' jews who can get very violent and don't want to be photographed. People wanted to know what side I was on and sometimes when they found out I was NOT a journalist (that was the big question, which magazine I worked for), and found out I was an american, they were ok with me taking photos, but most warned me for my own safety. I was shaking taking some photos, due to half adrenalin overload and part fear of getting stabbed or punched, so hope they aren't too blurry. It was an intense situation, like war photography which I've always thought about doing, so this was a good taste for me. I also photographed a war 'peace riot' in SF, but that wasn't nearly as intense as this. So due to the fact that it was sketchy to take photos, I'd take one, and then move through the crowd. I'd also conceal my camera (but it's big and hard to do), and I think it looked like I was hiding a gun, black, metal, shiny, concealed. I think this may have caught the eyes of the police, and they had obviously been watching me, for hours.


La Police se prépare

As I left, I took some more photos of the police in riot gear, and taking over the little hills in the Nation park in the middle of a giant round-about (an area of many immigrants in Paris, where I have been staying for a week). The protest was winding down, and I was walking back to my friends apartment, when this guy in black asked me who I was photographing for and telling me it wasn't allowed and what was I doing, etc. He was not in police uniform, then he grabbed my shoulder and said come with me. I backed up to get out of this random guys grasp, as I was scared I was going to get robbed and beat up, etc. I backed up into another guy, then to the other side, another. I was surrounded by muslim/jewish guys who were not happy with my photography... But no, they were undercover cops. They questioned me, and turned me over to the riot police in uniforms (and battle gear) who took me (forcefully) to their vans, removed my backpack, hands against the van, searched through everything, very closely and invasively, and they went through my wallet and took my CA driver's licence, (and it turns out they stole 20 euros!). They said the way I took photos from one place then to the next was pas normal, very strange, and wanted to know who I was working for, what magazine, telling me it is not allowed, to which I questioned but no, I was not allowed to take photos. After 15 minutes of scaring me and saying they were going to arrest me, they gave me my stuff, and pushed me back towards the sidewalk. I walked back to the apartment, went to buy some fruit and vegetables and relax with a few beers, when I realized my id was gone (I still hadn't realized the 20 euros were gone). So I had to go back to the scene of the 'crime' and ask for my carte d'identification back, and they asked who took it, and I had been hassled by more than 10 police and couldn't remember. I finally got it back, and walked back to the apartment, looking over my shoulder the whole time, and even walking in a few shops and around a building to make sure I wasn't being followed. I heard the next day that the French judicial system is not to mess with, that you are guilty until proved innocent, and the judge has ALL the say in your case, so it's very possible for unjustice to be served.
Fuck the police of the world and every government. They're all corrupt and solely concerned with their interest, which is the interest of the people that pay them. They control the world. You are powerless in the grand scheme of things. That doesn't mean it's worthless to fight against. - jonny haywire


La manifestation


Les manifestants prennent le control


Ils tentent d'appaiser le conflit avec le Police


Les manifestants envahissent la bute


La Police vide la bute


Un groupe de Musulmans


Prise de le statue


Le police retablit le calme


Un groupe de Juifs

1 Comments:

Anonymous Anoniem said...

Mon Dieu - John! This story sounds incredible. It really must have been very intensive and nerv-wracking. But you made it - like every time and I'm proud that you didn't got lost in the crowd.
I'm very anxious to see the pictures you made as a "spy" in this strange, weird situation.
I'm also very happy that you got your ID back because you are so helpless without being abroad - as I learned in Barcelona! Shame on the French police!
I will keep on reading your blogg and waiting for your visit back in the south of Germany!
Greatings from Stuttgart...

maart 07, 2006 11:52 p.m.  

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