As the world locked down to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 virus, I headed to live in one of the most densely populated suburbs in Europe, the 11th arrondissement in Paris. I was in Paris between September 2021 and September 2022 studying photojournalism and documentary photography with Magnum Photos and Speos International Photography School.
One of our photojournalism assignments was to cover a protest. Here is the story of the Covid protests in Paris and some of the photographs that I made of the Covid situation during that time.
The Covid Pandemic in Paris
The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic was particularly severe in France, revealing underlying vulnerabilities in the health system, including issues related to governance and decision-making processes.
France implemented a range of public health measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus. These measures included lockdowns, social distancing guidelines, mask mandates, restrictions on gatherings and mandatory vaccines for health workers.
COVID-19 pandemic protests in Paris
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, France, like other countries and regions, experienced protests against government responses, public health measures, and economic consequences. The reasons for protests varied, including concerns about lockdowns, economic hardships, restrictions on personal freedoms, mandates to inject an untested vaccine, and skepticism about the severity of the virus.
During the Documentary and Photojournalism course, the Magnum tutor gave us an assignment to photograph an anti-Covid protest on the streets of Paris. Each week we were assigned a different event to give us experience in photojournalism and reportage photography.
The Covid protests were newsworthy events and there were a few freelancers and staff photographers at the protest. The protest march started at the very heart of capitalism, La Bourse, the Paris stock exchange. Coincidentally, the same square houses the headquarters of L’Agence France-Presse so media coverage was almost guaranteed.
The Yellow Vest Movement had been violently clashing with police since 2018 over various cost of living and inequality issues.
We were warned by our Magnum tutor that photographers, including student photographers, had been bludgeoned by police in the past, and that if the protest turned violent we were to leave the area immediately.
Demonstrations took place in protest against limitations on individuals’ mobility, mandatory face mask usage, lockdowns and restrictions to travel, mandatory vaccination requirements, economic policies, and concerns about civil liberties and privacy. As it turned out, this protest on 20 November 2021 was very friendly with an almost-carnival atmosphere.
Paris is well known for violent protests, some developing into riots and even revolutions, but the French are also known for allowing their citizens the right to protest.
Being involved in peaceful demonstrations and joining collective movements have been ingrained in France’s political heritage for centuries. As the protests were escalating against the government, Macron began cracking down. In the months just before this protest, demonstrators in France risked sustaining severe injuries from rubber bullets and other hazardous police weapons, as well as exposure to tear gas.
While certain protesters engaged in violent actions leading to prosecution, a significant number of peaceful demonstrators were fined, arrested, and legal proceedings began under excessively broad and ambiguous laws. This constitutes a violation of their rights according to Amnesty International, as they are being penalised solely for peacefully expressing dissent.
The Covid Protests reflected the tension between public health measures aimed at controlling the spread of the virus and individual freedoms. Different countries and regions implemented different measures, leading to diverse reactions from the public.
The French Government responded to the anti-covid protests in various ways, ranging from increased dialogue with demonstrators to implementing stricter measures to maintain public order.
The Covid protests in France had become violent after President Macron declared a mandatory Covid-19 vaccination requirement for all healthcare workers on 12 July, 2021. The “pass sanitaire” required individuals to present a “health pass” for entry to cafes, restaurants, cinemas, hospitals, senior citizens’ homes, trains, shopping malls, and other public spaces which sparked protests throughout France.
On Saturday, 17 July 2021, more than 110,000 individuals participated in nationwide protests against the vaccine and health pass. The following weekend the protests escalated with around 160,000 people across France including far-right activists and members of France’s yellow vest movement demonstrating against the implemented measures.
The demonstration in Paris was organised by a former top official in Marine Le Pen’s far-right anti-immigration party, and the situation intensified as projectiles, including a chair, were thrown at the police, prompting the law enforcement to respond with tear gas and water cannons.
On 31 July, over 200,000 people nationwide protested against these plans. On Saturday 7 August, 237,000 people protested on 198 locations in France. On 14 August 2021, an estimated 200,000 to 250,000 individuals, once again rallied at over 200 locations across France.
On Saturday, 18 September, the demonstrators numbered 80,000. By Saturday 20 November, when these photos were taken, the crowds had dwindled to less than 10,000 protestors. Police maintained a large presence but respectful distance as they escorted the marchers from Bourse as they headed to Place de la République.
Certain protests were fuelled by misinformation about COVID-19, conspiracy theories, far-right affiliations, and the involvement of extremist groups and individuals, although I didn’t see any evidence of that.
“A bas la phar-macronie” translate as “Down With Pharm-Macron” – a play on words Pharmaceutical (the Big Pharmaceutical companies made billions from the pandemic with their new vaccines) and French President Macron.
Pass Sanitaire = Health Pass
France posted more than 500,000 new cases of coronavirus in a single day on Tuesday, 25 January 2022. France was recording the highest daily infection rates of any major European nation, with an average of more than 360,000 per week.
As a foreign student in Paris during the Covid pandemic, I found the French universal care health system to be incredibly efficient. When it was time to have a booster vaccine, I was notified via the app. I visited the nearest vaccine center to enquire about the booster, and left 15 minutes later with everything done.
To meet the increased demand for rapid Covid tests, many pharmacies erected tents outside their premises to conduct swift screening tests for Covid-19. The cost for Non-European visitors was 20 Euros and the results were back in fifteen minutes.
TousAntiCovid app
France introduced a digital contact tracing app originally called “StopCovid” to help identify and notify individuals who had been in close contact with someone confirmed to have COVID-19. The app uses Bluetooth technology to exchange anonymous identifiers between users’ phones.
The Covid app for mobile phones, TousAntiCovid was issued and these served several purposes: people scanned their phone which held the vaccine and booster certificates on entry to venues, they could follow daily case numbers and news regarding Covid, and be notified if they had come into contract with infected persons.
The app held EU and international vaccine certificates, results of tests, and could be put in “cross border mode” when travelling outside France. The TousAntiCovid app was paused from June 30, 2023.
“TousAntiCovid” is French for “Everyone Against Covid”, and originally was released as StopCovid before being rebranded with extra privacy and contact tracing features. The contact tracing notified me twice that I had to go to be tested for Covid, both times the result was negative.
Testing for COVID-19 was widely available in France, with both PCR and rapid antigen tests used. Contact tracing efforts were implemented to identify and notify individuals who may have been exposed to the virus.
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