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# Unrest in French youth
- URL: https://www.chrismessina.me/blog/unrest-in-french-youth/
- Published: 2006-03-24T17:20:24.000Z
- Updated: 2026-03-25T03:35:08.000Z
- Author: Chris Messina
- Tags: Civil liberties, Social justice

[](http://www.flickr.com/photos/gonzale/114791602/in/photostream/?ref=chrismessina.me)I stumbled upon [this](http://blog.flickr.com/flickrblog/2006/03/eyes%5Fof%5Fthe%5Fwor.html?ref=chrismessina.me) after realizing that I'd missed [Stewart's birthday](http://blog.flickr.com/flickrblog/2006/03/happy%5Fbirthday%5F.html?ref=chrismessina.me) (I'm waiting for his 33 1/3 to celebrate though). Heads down lately, I've missed the news that apparently there's been some [crazy shit](http://today.reuters.com/news/NewsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=uri:2006-03-23T180437Z%5F01%5FL23178518%5FRTRUKOC%5F0%5FUS-FRANCE.xml&pageNumber=1&summit=&ref=chrismessina.me) going on in Paris -- at least [judging](http://www.flickr.com/photos/hughes%5Fleglise/sets/72057594084915155/?ref=chrismessina.me) [from](http://www.flickr.com/groups/71873699@N00/pool/?ref=chrismessina.me) [the](http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/cpe?ref=chrismessina.me) [photos](http://www.woomp.com/thecha/18mars2006?ref=chrismessina.me). [Xyba](http://inthebreach.blogspot.com/?ref=chrismessina.me) has an [interesting perspective](http://inthebreach.blogspot.com/2006/03/paris-job-law-rally-turns-violent.html?ref=chrismessina.me): "French Young people fearing that they may actually have to work for a living have continued their rioting". This runs contrary to what photographer [Hugo](http://www.flickr.com/people/hughes%5Fleglise/?ref=chrismessina.me) had to [say](http://www.flickr.com/photos/hughes%5Fleglise/sets/72057594084915155/?ref=chrismessina.me):

> **The protests of March 18th**, all across the country, were joined not only by students but by their families. Unfortunately, as is too often the case, the end of the day was spoiled by 100 to 150 "casseurs" (lit. "breakers") who provoked the riot police throwing bottles, stones and finally burning down a car. **On March 23rd**, a university and college students demonstration also turned even more violent, with various cars and shops burnt, protesters and photographers assaulted and robbed, and the Invalides turned into a battlefield. After the unrest and riots in the suburbs last year, this is reflecting the growing uneasiness and despair of the youth about the lack of opportunities, and their desillusion towards the politicians. More than 20% of 18 to 25-year-olds are unemployed (double the national average) and among the poorest communities, it reaches 40%. Half of France's universities are now under some form of strike or occupation.

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### 💬 Comments from the original post

**[Alex Barnett blog](http://blogs.msdn.com/alexbarn/archive/2006/03/25/560944.aspx?ref=chrismessina.me)** · 2006-03-25 20:17:48

**My 6 predictions on microformats...**Joshua Allen helped organize the microformats and structured blogging unofficial session at Mix this......

**[The failure of stakeholder capitalism at FactoryCity](http://factoryjoe.com/blog/2006/03/29/the-failure-of-stakeholder-capitalism/?ref=chrismessina.me)** · 2006-03-29 14:51:26

\[...\] William Pfaff chimes in with an enlightening piece about the riotous protests going on in France, positing observations about the differences between the modern (American) model of capitalism and the previous model that the French are trying to protect: The earlier model said that corporations had a duty to ensure the well-being of employees, and an obligation to the community (chiefly but not exclusively fulfilled through corporate tax payments). \[...\]