France celebrates Bastille Day with pomp, a tribute to India and extra police to prevent new unrest
The IndependentFor free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy France is celebrating its national holiday Friday with whizzing warplanes and a grand Bastille Day parade in Paris -- and with more than 100,000 police deployed around the country to prevent a new outbreak of unrest in underprivileged neighborhoods. India is the guest of honor at this year’s Bastille Day parade, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi set to watch in the VIP tribune alongside French President Emmanuel Macron. Celebrations are held in towns and cities around France on Bastille Day, meant to celebrate France’s ideals of ’’liberty, equality and fraternity.” But the motto rings hollow for many people living in neglected housing projects who trace their roots to former French colonies and struggle with lack of opportunity and day-to-day racism. Bracing for more violence around Bastille Day, when unrest tends to spike every year, France deployed 130,000 police Thursday and Friday.