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[DiipuSurotu]

http://www.france24.com/en/20160802-paris-terror-attacks-memorial-cleared-france-republique

Paris officials have begun clearing away the flowers and candles left at the iconic statue at Place de la République, which became the focal point of impromptu public commemorations following a spate of terrorist attacks on French soil.

Ever since the January 2015 attacks on satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo, mourners have gathered around the statue of Marianne, the French national symbol, lighting candles and laying flowers in memory of the victims of jihadist terrorism.

To many in France, the statue, adorned with the Republic’s motto “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity”, became a rallying point, and a beacon of unity and defiance in troubled times.

Earlier this year, the square played host to the nocturnal gatherings of the “Nuit Debout” (Up All Night) movement, a citizen-led protest movement that has been likened to Spain’s Anti-austerity “Indignados”.

On Tuesday, bystanders expressed mixed feelings as workers began collecting objects strewn around the monument and scrubbing the many graffiti painted on the statue.

Christine, a visitor from Toulouse, said she felt “a twinge of sorrow because all the anger and sadness of the people was inscribed here”.

But her friend Marielle believed the clean-up marked a necessary shift in remembrance: “The pain has been expressed, but it’s now inside us. The cleaning doesn’t mean it has gone away. It’s in our memories.”

Paris officials have said memorial objects gathered during the clean-up will be preserved in the city archives or exhibited at the Carnavalet Museum, which is dedicated to the city’s history.

Earlier photos of the memorial:

Clean up if old

 

[Blue Lou]

The spray paint looks a mess.

 

[Familienoberhauptvogel]

Fuck le FN

 

[SpacePirate Ridley]

Are the grafittis becuase of the attacks, or where there before?
Because thats the only thing that they maybe should take away (I understand that the posters and other objects in the memorial, decay becuase of climate at the end, which is sad but understandable if they have to take them out). They look like crap (If they were beatiful art instead of only letters...) and are destroying the monument.

 

[echoshifting]

Fuck le FN

Et fuck les fachos!

 

[DiipuSurotu]

Are the grafittis becuase of the attacks, or where there before?
Becuase thats the only thing that they maybe should take away. They look like crap and are destroying the monument.

Because of the attacks, and also the "Nuit Debout" movement later on.

 

[Spunky Monkey]

Are the grafittis becuase of the attacks, or where there before?
Because thats the only thing that they maybe should take away (I understand that the posters and other objects in the memorial, decay becuase of climate at the end, which is sad but understandable if they have to take them out). They look like crap and are destroying the monument.

It was there before. I was at that place a week before the attacks and it was a bit of a shock coming out of the metro to that area. The rest of Paris is beautiful and clean but this one square had the statue covered in graffiti and the square had many tents with refugees and homeless people. Some were begging, some just living there but like i say, never seeing that anywhere else in Paris made this one area really stand out. At the time i didn't know the significance of the square and statue but i do now.

 

[DiipuSurotu]

It was there before. I was at that place a week before the attacks and it was a bit of a shock coming out of the metro to that area. The rest of Paris is beautiful and clean but this one square had the statue covered in graffiti and the square had many tents with refugees and homeless people. Some were begging, some just living there but like i say, never seeing that anywhere else in Paris made this one area really stand out. At the time i didn't know the significance of the square and statue but i do now.

Before the Charlie Hebdo attack in January 2015?

 

[Myoclonic Jerk]

Vandalism

 

[Kinyou]

Lots of that graffiti looks like normal tagging.

 

[SpacePirate Ridley]

Because of the attacks, and also the "Nuit Debout" movement later on.

It was there before. I was at that place a week before the attacks and it was a bit of a shock coming out of the metro to that area. The rest of Paris is beautiful and clean but this one square had the statue covered in graffiti and the square had many tents with refugees and homeless people. Some were begging, some just living there but like i say, never seeing that anywhere else in Paris made this one area really stand out. At the time i didn't know the significance of the square and statue but i do now.

Thanks for the calrification guys.

Vandalism

Lots of that graffiti looks like normal tagging.

Thats basically what i think. The normal tagging here just feels like street vandalism. I understand its a memorial, but if you are going to spray something, at least make it look beautiful like some street art (even though I would prefer them just do it on a sign to not destroy the monument).

 

[Always-honest]

Good. Looks like shit. There are better ways to remember the victims (let alone leave a message to the killers or others) than to leave your dumbass fugly tag on a building or monument. Too bad 99% of everything done with a spraycan is shit.

I don't even understand why people feel the need to do that. It doesn't accomplish anything. But to each his own i guess.

The rest of Paris is beautiful and clean.

Clean of tags you mean? Because Paris isn't what i would call clean.

 

[Koren]

It was there before.

I'm pretty sure it wasn't there before january 2015 (CH attack). A couple, maybe, but not like this.

The rest of Paris is beautiful and clean

Well, you don't have seen that much of Paris ^_^

 

[Kurita]

As long as it's in the archives it's not a big deal.

 

[Jackpot]

These things have to go eventually and how else do you clear them but by throwing them in the trash? They're not going to hunt down each person who left an item to see if they want it back.