Day 1 of the revolution has happened? - Vox Montpellier
11 hours, inside the Polygon. Dozens of people are heading for the exit Esplanade. And every stop, stunned, before the iron gates closed. A security guard informed them that they can not get out, either here or next door - the only open exit is the place Paul Beck. The man seems exhausted. Patient, he repeats his answer to the same question: why? is the manifestation of the students who scares responsible Polygon. They have threatened, as the security officer said, to break the "whole center. The people, eager to get out, do not respond well. "So we prisoners?" asked a woman in her thirties. And another, slightly older, laughs: "Prisoners of the Revolution. Friends, we're living a historic day."
Others are downright angry. "We have other things to do than go back to the place Paul Beck and around the entire building." - "If you do not want to let us out, would have had to close the doors when we entered." - "I have just come to the place Paul Beck. You would have had the courtesy to put a plate. "And indeed, there are always dozens of people crossing the polygon, counting on the output side Esplanade ...
Day 1 of the revolution is it happened? In Montpellier, opinions differ - there are people who call themselves "apolitical" - "Politics does not interest me, I count on me, not the state" - others think that anyway, nothing can be done, and still others want to "burn" Montpellier. Is there a way that would satisfy everyone? "You'll see," says one of Mr. some forty years to question the team People Montpellier . "Sarkozy is right. The movement is nearing completion. People to ignite something, but they calm down quickly." When he gives his opinion, tens of thousands of people file past him, some excited, others calm, there are some who sing and others laugh. Another viewer, a little younger than the previous mixes in the conversation. "What can we expect people? Can show once, twice, even three times. But then we've had enough. The government expects that this time."
High school students who are on Comedy while youth event taking place around the center does not show more fierce. "We're young," said a young man, "pensions do not concern us yet. But there is question of principle. We must be united, and we can not quite afford." One of his companions said: "The pension is not for tomorrow, but someday we'll be there too. We fight for our future."
"And it's not just about pensions," takes one of the girls. "There's more ... Roma, for example. We can not throw them out like that." A young man intervenes: "But we are not welcoming land either. But you're right "- it is for the girl -" you can not throw them out like that. We must find other solutions. In addition, most Roma are Europeans. "If these students feel so committed, why did they not participate in the demonstration? -" We went to the event, "answered one of the girls," but it would not stay. They started breaking cars. We do not go for that. "-" She's right, "reflects one of the young men." We are going there for the cause. Because we want to show Sarkozy that we are here and we have a voice. But there are some who do not understand. They only want to break cars. "- His colleague is more skeptical:" Maybe it is Sarkozy himself who sends us people to discredit us ... "The others laugh, but their faces do not express joy.
Later, in a bus, step by step, crawls along the street Maguelone, two ladies of sixty years are angry. One of them just blame the driver for the delay. The they apologized and advancing the problems caused by the protests. "Excuses, always excuses," said the second lady. And the first "They take us for? We know that the event is over for hours. " Then they begin to discuss students. "They have not worked and they are already in the street," laments one of the ladies. "If they want to protest, they should also work." Another lady disagrees: "Now that is preparing their future." And a third woman, younger than two, intervenes: "The students do not show just for their future, but for solidarity."
Solidarity is a term often mentioned by Montpellier, these days. "We need the solidarity of everyone," said a lady in her thirties who claims to be "apolitical when you can afford it - not now, then. "And she continues:" What we need is the total strike. All France has to stop. But how? People can not afford an indefinite strike, they need their wages. I am sure that in principle one-day strike would be sufficient for the government to hear us - but it would have to be a day of total strike in which everyone participates. "
Photos and text are copyright Doris Kneller
Doris Kneller, 2009 
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