In the hours after a suspected terrorist plowed a rented truck through a crowd of festival-goers in Nice, France, festival goers in Boston paid tribute to their memories at the city’s annual Bastille Day celebration over the weekend.
WGBH Radio’s Phillip Martin was there and brings us this audio postcard from the event, which began with the singing of the French national anthem.
Brown University poet Patrick Sylvain:
“I think that as long as the human spirit is alive, regardless of nationality of nation, we have to be positive, we have to treat each other with respect, and my heart goes out to the people of France and the people of Nice. It’s, it’s terrible— and I’m hoping that politicians will not take advantage of the situation.”
I asked Brown University students how important the motto of France — Liberté, egalité, fraternité (liberty, equality, fraternity) — is to them:
“Those three words represent what all of us really strive for in living in a society as, such as the one we live in. So I think it’s important to come here and celebrate that,” says Noah Ensengu.
“I think it’s important to celebrate even if not everything in the world is going the way you want it to go,” says Claire Malcom.
“I mean it’s great this is a French festival, because it kind of honors everything that is going on in France, so I think it is hard to go through but it’s great to be here,” says Layla Ensengu.
2000 revelers were expected at the sold-out Bastille Day Party on Marlborough Street. Quite a few tickets lay unclaimed, yet dozens of folks without tickets lined up hoping to get inside the fenced off area.
“My name is Rosemarie, I’m from Haiti, and I just feel so sorry about what’s going on in France, and we lend them all our support, because they are our brother and our sister. So whatever they feel, we feel it too, and we ask the world to be united in this love, because that’s what we’re looking for. Because they are our brother and our sister, no matter our color, or where we came from. We still, all of us are kids of the Earth.”
Keri and Jeremy were dressed in the tri-colors of France:
“Because I’m French, and because she likes France, so,” offers Jeremy by way of explanation.
“I think we’re probably the most festive people here tonight,” Keri adds with a laugh.
“I have friends in Nice, they’re all fine, so that’s what matters to me,” says Jeremy. “And then, you know, I think the best way to kind of push away those acts is just to enjoy life, continue enjoying life and not stop. So that’s what I’m doing today.”
Police on motorcycles guarded the entrances, plainclothes cops mingled with party-goers, and a heavy DPW truck operated by Dan Bryce blocked the intersection of Marlborough and Berkeley. Bryce will stay at the event for the duration. “I’ll just enjoy the music and the scenery,” Bryce says.
In between French songs, Norma Saunders greeted a reporter with a smile:
“I haven’t come for years and years, but this is great. This was the best one”
Why?
“Because I was with my husband,” Saunders says.
“It’s just, we want to support the French people,” says Saunders’ husband, Roger.
SEIU Union spokesman Jason Stefon recalling the Boston Marathon bombing said that’s why this particular Bastille Day celebration was so important to him.
“We’ve been struck hard here in Boston, and the people in Nice and in Paris have also been dealing with these issues, and it’s just really important for us to come out on a night like this and show our solidarity.”
