La loi spéciale, on s'en câlisse

Recorded by Michael Nardone.

Casserole March. Villeray, Montreal. 30 May 2012.

I've excerpted this particular section from a 3-hour long cut as it comes at a rather special moment in the march. Nearly two hours into the demonstration, the Villeray casserole group, of 1000+ people, was beginning to slow down a bit and many people were beginning to depart. Turning the corner on rue d'Iberville onto Rosemont, the demonstration ran into a separate casserole demonstration of a similar size, if not larger. Comprised of the casserole marchers from the Plateau, Mile End, and Outremont, this other demonstration brought a great new energy. After this point the joined demonstrations would continue for nearly another 2 hours.

The recording begins as those marching in the Villeray demo spot another large demonstration coming approaching them. A general sense of elation becomes audible at this confluence. There are then a few moments of out-of-rhythm dissonance while the casseroles merge together. Then a steady rhythm begins to be worked out amongst the newly formed group of marchers. The volume increases and as everything falls into a general syncopation, the marchers begins to shout: "La loi spéciale, on s'en câlisse!"

Part of the Protest and Politics project - find out more at http://www.citiesandmemory.com/protest

Photo credit: Francis Bourgouin.