June 19: After my coffee in the place Contrescarpe, I strolled up the rue Descartes and rue de la Montagne Ste. Genevieve to the street market: tomatoes and cherries, poppies and cheese!
Then, my way back was blocked by police, who were spreading out and blocking streets in preparating for a "manifestation" or demonstration. Since I couldn't continue up the street, I went in to a little store to buy some milk and butter. When I came out, the demo had moved downhill so I was free to continue. Instead, I stopped and stood on the sidewalk, shopping bags at my feet, to draw what I saw.
The demo was very calm: some slogans, some singing, a bullhorn, some sitting down in the street. Police vans everywhere and police with riot shields, but their helmets were hanging on their belts and it all seemed fairly routine.
The banners had the names of various university departments, and one said "Sauvons l'universite" (let's save the university); does anybody know what the issue was, on June 19, 2008, at the rue des Ecoles and rue de la Montagne Ste. Genevieve?
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