Laugh Riot

I didn't see anything about this in any of the papers I read (actually, surf--I seldom buy a paper paper, and most of the papers I read aren't available where I live--I like other people's news, preferably in other people's languages, way better than my own; perhaps the news is less depressing with that distance). But I did see it on the French newscast that one of our public television stations carries.

First, you have to know that strikes and protest marches are as common as rain in France. No, more common. There's one just about every week. If the weather is nice, it's like a day at the park--you bring your kids and go protesting or marching or striking. If the weather is not so nice, you leave the kids home and go protesting or marching or striking.

Okay, so the other day there was a protest by circus and carnival workers. They were upset because development in center cities is forcing them to set up their traveling shows in the suburbs rather than downtown, and fewer people come if the circus or carnival isn't right in the heart of things.

For some reason at the outset of this protest, violence erupted. Things were burning and there was tear gas and so forth, and police in riot gear--the whole magilla. Then they sorted that out and the march went on, looking for all intents and purposes like a circus parade, with floats and clowns and THAT whole magilla.

I do like and understand most things French, but this whole series of events just struck me as weird and inexplicable. Clowns rioting? And then parading, as if nothing happened? This is the point at which I just can't quite bridge the culture gap.

But then I never did get the appeal of the circus anyway. Maybe it's not a French thing, it's a clown thing. Either way, I remain baffled.