A Day of National Protest
Was it predictable? They were nearly a thousand citizens who crowded the streets of Saint Denis on Wednesday, July 14, all gathered to oppose the sanitary measures imposed by the State. In 2020, the festivities were cancelled because of the health crisis and this year it is the sanitary state of, the wearing of the mask, the anti-Covid vaccination almost mandatory for all and the sanitary pass that will be requested almost everywhere.
Prohibitions & Co
Prohibition of parades, fireworks or petarades in the public square, balls, shows, concerts, and even the prohibition of any catering and refreshment activity and prohibition of alcohol consumption on public premises from 18:00. Festivities of any nature was banned on the national holiday.
The official ceremony was not more than protocol at the Jardin de l’Etat in Saint Denis. In chronological order, honor and salute to the flag, aerial parade, republican ceremony, speech of the prefect Jacques Billant, presentation of decorations, medals and certificates. A ceremonial party that welcomed only officials and governmental organizations limited to 500 people.
Rally or Parade of July 14th?
It is the massive rally with nearly a thousand people that marked this July 14, 2021. The rallies began with a small number in the morning and swelled to more than a thousand in the afternoon. They were processions composed of citizen collectives or doctors, such as Voix Libre, Mobilisation Parents 974, Les Masques Blancs, Réunion Air Liberté, Réinfocovid Réunion, Colcovmed 974.
They ask for their rights towards the impositions of President Emmanuel Macron including the wearing of masks, mandatory vaccination for all and especially the Sanitary Pass which will be necessary to access any place gathering 50 people either places of performance, stadiums, fairs, fairs, festivals, large casinos, Theme park and zoos, sports establishments, Bowling , casinos, cinemas, theatre, museums and monuments.
Reunionese will have made their own parade. With banners carrying various slogans, “Your vaccine I don’t want”, “let us live” “no to dictatorship” “do not suffocate our rights” “my body belongs to me”, “It hurts my France” … various and varied speeches against the decisions of the state and the prefect even going to ask for his resignation in song “Leaves Reunion Mr. Prefect… A peaceful march spiced up by a few swells from the public present but controlled by the police, these demonstrators occupied the entire neighborhood of the State Garden and the prefecture including the Barachois and the entrance to the West.
In Mauritius, the French Embassy wished to cast digitally the official ceremony and the message of Ambassador Florence Caussée-Tissier on its website and that of the French Institute of Mauritius. The festival was marked by a free interpretation of the national holiday by the troupe of Yannick Gerie. Despite all the prohibitions and the lack of festivities for this occasion, le Matinal wishes a good national holiday to all French people
