in Dijon, young people in support of the January 19 strike
This Thursday, January 19, more than 10,000 people are present in the streets of Dijon. Among them, hundreds of young people, worried about their future.
“I came to see what a protest was like, I’ve never done one.” Wide-eyed, Jules can’t believe seeing so many people gathered. It must be said that this strike of January 19 broke records since more than 10,000 demonstrators marched in the streets.
“I’m in my first year of medicine and I didn’t have class today so I took advantage of it. I came to do the number. Even if it’s a long time away for me, it’s our future and that will affect us all one day or another”, says Jules. The young student, however, stays away with his colleagues, intimidated by the crowd.
“It is important to demonstrate and we have the right to do so”, assures Marie, 17 years old and full of conviction. “If we never do anything, we will always work later and we must not accept that.”
In the crowd, we see many students who have come to lend their support, and the youngest have also answered the call. This is the case of Roméo and Julien, two high school students. “We had free time since our teachers are on strike, so we don’t have lessons”they point out with a smile. “As young people, we also have to get involved in all these causes, to start taking an interest in what is happening in the real world.”
If young people feel more and more concerned, it is because mentalities have changed according to Romeo. “We are more and more interested in current events and in the life of the country. If we had had lessons, we would have tried to find an hour or two to invest ourselves a minimum.”
It is not because we are not concerned that we cannot mobilize.
LouisFirst year law student
“To be susceptible is to tell yourself that you have done something. It is the first time that you have demonstrated, it is an atmosphere to discover but you have to start well. It will be the first and not the last c “It’s certain”says Julian.
In the first year of a law degree, Louis assures us that he would have come even if he had had lessons. “It is not because we are not concerned that we cannot mobilize. It is important to come together and show that there are young people who are interested and who are committed . “
Forest ranger, Jean-Luc came to demonstrate, but not for him. Soon to be retired, he worries about the next generations. “I’m going to be asked to do two more terms but that’s not the big deal. We are changing the rules for our young people who have no hope later.”
The climatic problems, the war that is approaching in Europe… We do everything necessary to make them stressed, we paralyze everyone and there is no possible projection.
His friend André does not understand why the youngest do not have the same advantages as the others. “I can’t understand why we forbid our children to benefit from the same thing as us. How is it that we accept that our children have a worse life than ours?”
Happy to see young people mobilize today, Jean-Luc is not surprised. “We think of young people who have just studied during confinement, it has not been easy and we tell them that they will have to work until they are 65. It is an extra layer which must be hard to swallow and I understand that they are there.”