10 years in Paris

I grew up in the 10th arrondissement. I left in 2007: Barcelona, Marseille, Buenos Aires... I returned to Paris in September 2015. The first few weeks were exhilarating. I had a feeling of both discovery and familiarity. I was delighted to reconnect with friends, rediscover the energy of this city, and attend small concerts in a basement in Belleville, a bar, or a squat in Montreuil. I think all Parisians remember what they were doing on the evening of 13 November 2015. With a few photographer friends, holed up behind an iron curtain in a cosy bar in Ménilmontant, we were in a strange state. Our reality seemed fictional. Ten years later, these attacks, which claimed 130 victims, seem to represent a collective turning point. Shortly afterwards, COP21 took place, demonstrations were banned, and searches were carried out at the homes of environmental activists. We had entered a new era. In March 2016, the government decided to reform the labour code. For several months, protesters against this bill gathered every evening at Place de la République. It was ‘nuit debout!’ (up all night!). Assemblies reflected this desire to be together, united to ward off the bad luck of 13 November. As a piece of graffiti says, it gives hope that ‘a joyful mess is possible’. But order was imposed with the violence of an insecure minister. In 2017, Macron is elected on a misunderstanding... he promises more democracy and applies only verticality. The yellow vest earthquake is not long in coming. From December 2018 onwards, violence against demonstrators becomes commonplace. I try to document it. ‘Is the Élysée over there?’ asks a thirty guy from Nancy, pointing to the French flag perched on the Grand Palais. They have come from all over. They don't know the city, they are enthusiastic and fearless... Perhaps even a little naive, as the old activists sometimes say. In the working-class neighbourhoods, the fight against police violence continues unabated: Zyed, Bouna, Adama, Théo... The list of deaths is too long. French methods of maintaining order have been denounced by numerous bodies such as the UN Human Rights Commission and Amnesty International. The lockdown in March 2020 put a temporary end to protests and gatherings. But by June of the same year, healthcare workers were already denouncing poor working conditions and organising numerous rallies. Nurses were tear-gassed at Les Invalides. But... We can go to concerts again, bars are reopening... We can breathe again... behind our masks. The yellow vests are back in September 2021 to denounce the vaccine mandate. " I've never seen so much tear gas, I thought I was going to die," a street medic tells me, referring to the demonstration that ends on Rue de Rivoli. In 2022, Ms Le Pen is once again in the second round of the presidential elections. The atmosphere deteriorates further. Macron is elected, and we are told that this time ‘he will be able to do whatever he wants’. Make the French work until the age of 65, for example. The only problem is that those affected are against it. From the beginning of March 2023, huge trade union demonstrations take over the streets of every city in the country. On 16 March, the law is passed without a vote in the Assembly thanks to Article 49.3. A gathering at Place de la Concorde marks the beginning of a new type of protest: in small groups, protesters spread out across Paris and burn rubbish bins... Which is convenient, as the refuse collectors are on strike. ‘It's a nightmare for us,’ admits a police officer on a rolling news channel. After 7 October 2023 and the start of the bombing of Gaza, demonstrations in support of the Palestinian people are banned. The following year, angered by the results of the European elections, the president calls for parliamentary elections. This time, there is a real risk of the far right taking control. Mobilisation is significant. The feeling of fear is almost palpable. On 10 September 2025, ‘we're blocking everything’ suggests repeated demonstrations, but it doesn't take off. Even though the following week, a trade union demonstration against austerity takes over, it seems that the social movement needs to catch its breath.