French protest with humour: Collective defecation in the Seine

The French have a unique state of mind, and contrary to appearances, they may not be as classy and romantic as often portrayed. A hashtag is trending online, calling for collective defecation in the Seine River.

The Seine is not one of the cleanest rivers in the world. While it doesn't reach the pollution levels of the Ganges, no one in their right mind would want to swim in a river flowing through Paris. Water and large urban centers (sewage) are never a good combination.

Since Paris will be hosting this year's summer Olympic Games, the French authorities have taken significant steps to clean the Seine effectively. This is because previous studies of the river indicated that its cleanliness was well below acceptable standards. This would pose problems for organizing competitions in water disciplines. The government is making extensive efforts to improve water quality and promises that by June 23, the Seine will be a safe area for bathing. French President Emmanuel Macron even pledged to be the first to swim in the clean river and demonstrate that concerns are unwarranted. But what do the French think about this?

As it turns out, the residents of France have a great sense of humour. Upon hearing that cleaning the Seine in preparation for the Olympic Games cost 1.5 billion euros (about 2.1 billion CAD) and that President Macron and Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo promised to personally swim in the river to prove it is clean enough, they decided to organize... Sh*t in the River Day.

The event will occur on June 23 and involve group defecation in the river. Anyone interested can show up at the bank of the freshly cleaned Seine and defecate there before the president and the mayor of Paris swim in it. The hashtag #jechiedanslaseinele23juin is trending on the internet, which can be translated as #june23ishitintheseine. This is how the French protest against turning the Seine into a bathing area.