I couldn’t help but laugh at the TV coverage of Obama’s arrival, which was hailed as a ‘rapturous welcome by the crowds at Palais Rohan’.
The semantics of ‘crowd’ would lead you to believe that these individuals applauding the glorious president, were in some way representative of the common people of Strasbourg, of course nothing could be further from the truth.
This stage managed event kicked off at Strasbourg Airport where Air Force One touched down. Obama waved and smiled as he stepped off of the plane, giving the impression there was someone to wave at. Who exactly? As the security at the airport was so tight that anyone not carrying a NATO gun or press-pass was unlikely to have been allowed within five miles of the place.
The same can be said of the foule at the palais, being in the heart of the ‘red zone’, the only people who could possibly have had the opportunity to shake the hand of Mr Obama were most likely local dignitaries or indeed the press themselves.
Nice to hear it from an insider’s perspective
That’s what I thought. Could You tell something more about so called riots in Strasbourg? I could only notice the tv pictures from the place de la republique…
I’m not entirely sure what occurred out at the port. However 7am Saturday morning the Police did fire tear gas at a small group of protesters who had slipped into town unnoticed.
One supposes that most of the troubles had something to do with the anti-NATO camp-site being located in Strasbourg’s poorest and most crime ridden suburb.
I think the local youths probably just saw it as an excuse to set fire to things.
I find it hard to believe though that the clash at Parc du contades was anything but a peaceful protest spoiled by heavy-handed policing. Which in turn may have provoked the vandalism in the port.
Good job we were in Taiwan..we live just a stones throw (no pun!) from the parlaiment.
Obama ‘for change YOU need’…he’s drumming up his youth corps right now…for the war effort.
“It’s marvellous when the leader of the free world comes to town” – as my father said.
its true about the “organised people” waiting to greet Obama. My father in law was one of the invited people to stand there and wait. They wait for two hours to see him.They had understood that they would be meeting him inside in a civilised manner but when arrived, had to just hang out by a barrier!