Manifestation (Demonstration)

Bales of hay on fire in front of the Prefecture

Carefully controlled burn

I headed out a little before noon to run some sheets and towels down to the launderette---there I can just pop them in the dryer and not try to stretch them out on the drying rack--it's just easier. I noticed that there was an inordinate amount of car traffic on Rue Jean Bringer---between them and the parked-on-the-sidewalk construction vehicles, it was hard to walk down the street.  I ran into a couple that i know who told me that they thought there was a car on fire on Boulevard Jean-Jaures, the street I would normally take.  The police were keeping people away, so of course, I had to go see what was going on!  

Dense smoke

Message on one of the tractors when the smoke lifted a little

The farmers and vignerons were taking part in a planned department-wide protest.  It started up in Castelnaudary earlier in the day and then made its way through Bram and finally, came to rest in front of the Prefecture---sort of like the county seat.  There they parked their equipment and set up several bonfire sites.  One was in the middle of the street and was comprised of what looked like tree stumps.  But these were ablaze and giving off the oiliest black smoke, so I think they might have been treated with something.  Other stacks of hay or straw were set around, all in front of the gate leading onto the grounds of the Prefecture.

Obviously the police knew about it in advance, as they had tape up and signs all along the parking lot advising the public there would be no parkng in there today, due to the manifestation.  It's so organized!!  Nobody was rowdy, nobody had any guns.  There were various chants and cheers from time to time.  

It is, after all lunchtime in the south of France

Coming back from my errand, I was able to get close enough to the fire to really experience its heat.  I didn't want to stand there inhaling that oily black smoke, so I made my way on home.  After depositing my now-clean laundry, I took the camera back out to get some photos.  

In the parking lot, headed toward the Prefecture

It was lunchtime.  The big, black-smoke bonfires had burned themselves out.  But a pile of hay/straw bales was boiling out white smoke, obscuring sight lines.  Boulevard Jean-Jaures was still blocked.  The crowd was dining from a food truck there---I saw people munching on sandwiches, or apples.  i could smell the glasses of wine that were going along with the "demonstration-picnic lunch."  I wouldn't call the mood festive, but it wasn't ugly either.

No lunchtime traffic on Boulevard Barbes

According to the newspaper, they are protesting some new laws that are to go into effect on February 15.  I stopped for a moment to chat with the lady in the gas station, where I sometimes buy my newspaper (or a baguette, in a baguette emergency) 

 Everyone I saw was rather accepting of the inconvenience of the manifestation....the disrupted traffic and the smelly smoke.  Here's where the Gallic shrug is so effective. And the fact that I am only a block away from the Prefecture means that I get to witness all the action.....it's the spot where everyone who's mad about something comes to protest.  I am just glad that today, I was upwind!

Bonfire and smoke