France: A Show of Tunisian Pride in Paris  · Global Voices
Claire Ulrich

This post is part of our special coverage of Tunisia Revolution 2011.
After weeks of popular upraising, and a dramatic 24 hours when in rapid succession, ex president Ben Ali fled Tunisia to seek asylum in Saudi Arabia, his prime minister took power, only to be replaced a few hours later by the head of Tunisian Parliament, and with elections now planned to take place in two month, the 600,000-strong Tunisian diaspora living in France gathered today, saturday 15th,  in the streets. Despite their concern for the continuous violence in Tunisia, their relatives and the future, they granted themselves one day to rejoice, celebrate and share an overwhelming collective emotion. Here are a few pictures* of the “day after”, a Tunisian Pride in Paris.
"Thank you, (Mohamed) Bouazizi  !" Hommage to the fruit seller in Sidi Bouzid who sacrificed his life
"I love you, my people"
A clean Tunisia – Shove off, RCD (Ben Ali's parti)
Questions: "Is the West innocent?" "1881-1956: colonisation 1956- 2011: dictatorship 2011-…: ?
"Don't forget the martyr Boazizi and all the Tunisian martyrs"
Long live free Tunisia
January 15th, 2011: a day to remember for ever
A last-minute poster, where a Tunisian demonstrator writes: “The will of the People”
Many Tunisian and French readers will save  today's issue of the French daily  “Libération” that says it all, with one word, in French and Arabic: Freedom.
In the deluge of comments and tweets congratulating the Tunisians, one message to all Tunisians, from Adrien94,  on France 24 website:
Merci pour cette leçon, peuple tunisien
Vous nous avez monté ce qu'est le courage.
Vous nous avez montré qu'on peut se battre pour une idée même quand tout semble verrouillé par un groupe.
Et vous ne l'avez pas fait au nom d'un dieu ou d'un autre futur despote. vous l'avez fait parce que c'était JUSTE.
A l'heure où la coupe du monde devient le seul moyen de faire vibrer mon peuple, vous nous rappeler le vrai sens des choses.
Je vous souhaite d'éviter les périodes sombres qui suivent parfoir les révolutions.
Mais je crois en vous, car votre révolution est exemplaire!
Vive la Tunisie et vive la démocratie
* The photos were all originally taken by the author of the post.
This post is part of our special coverage of Tunisia Revolution 2011.