French protesters urge Paris to ‘wake up’

French police forces face protesters during a demonstration in front of the Bastille opera in Paris on May 29, 2011

PressTv
May 29, 2011

French protesters gathered in Paris and rallied against their government, as they modeled Spain’s M-15 movement, with banners calling for Paris to wake up!

About 1,000 protesters gathered on Sunday in Bastille square in Paris according to the French police and demonstrated against the country’s rising unemployment level and corruption, AFP reported.

The demonstration was modeled after the M-15 movement in Spain that has witnessed 2 weeks of violent clashes between security forces and protesters.

The protesters, unfolded giant banners that read; “Real democracy now” and “Paris, wake up”, on the steps of the Opera House in Bastille square.

The Bastille square is known as the place where the French Revolution began.

“There has to be a change in the economic structures to improve the sharing of world resources, because if we continue like this, in unfairness and misery, it could end up badly,” said protester Chantal Piganau.

Security forces monitored the protesters as they called for popular uprising against their government.

Another banner said “The people united will never be defeated.”

Demonstrations are also taking place in other locations in France, such as the southern city of Toulouse and the southwestern city of Bayonne, where people have set up camps and have used other banners saying “We all have reasons to be indignant … join us.”

France has witnessed demonstrations against the government, where many violent clashes between protesters and police forces have occurred, for over a year now.

The latest demonstrations occurred in response to the 26-27 May, G8 Summit that France hosted.

Spain’s M-15 movement was born on May 15. Since then the country has witnessed nationwide anti-government demonstrations.