“Your militias oppress, our youth resist.” This was the banner displayed on Saturday evening, October 10, at the “Stade du Moustoir” stadium in Lorient, during Paris’ away match in Ligue 1. The banner was unfurled by fans of the French capital in support of the student protests that have been spreading for days in France, paralyzing the country and receiving a harsh response from the police.
Faced with this message, the gendarmerie immediately intervened and removed the banner, triggering another act of protest: the ultras fans left their section, leaving a visible void in the stands. However, this is not the first time that the issue has crossed the stadium gates and entered the world of football. As early as Friday, Lens fans had condemned the “disproportionate and systematic police violence” during the match against Lyon, which opened the sixth week of Ligue 1.
What's happening in France: youth protests and police intervention
In France, student protests erupted in full force in late September, denouncing funding cuts, the dilapidated state of school buildings, overcrowding in classrooms, and a severe shortage of teachers. The mass mobilization led to the blockade and closure of hundreds of high schools and universities across the country. Tens of thousands of young people took to the streets in protests, supported by teachers and parents.
The situation culminated in severe tensions and direct clashes with riot police, which ended with hundreds of people injured and arrested. The whole situation has also involved the world of French sports, especially football, where some ultras groups have taken advantage of the restart of the championship to express their support for the young people.
Support for the ultras: first Lens, then Paris. Law enforcement intervenes
On Friday, during the pre-match match between Lens and Lyon, the home fans were the first to decide to support the students and young people who are protesting on the streets of France, denouncing the excessive “violence” of the police. In that case, the protest ended without consequences. On Saturday evening, the Paris ultras did the same thing, during the transfer to Lorient, but the outcome was completely different. The police intervened immediately, forcing the fans to remove the banner, which was immediately confiscated.
In protest against the police intervention, Paris fans left their seats in the stands. Then, during the break between halves, they returned to their section, but launched a fan “strike”, which was also joined by the opposing Lorient fans. Thus, the match continued in a surreal atmosphere, characterized by silence in the stands.
