Dozens of French entertainment workers occupied a theatre in Nantes on Wednesday (March 9) in protest against COVID-19 restrictions.

The protesters said they will not leave until the government announces a clear roadmap for the reopening of entertainment venues.

A similar protest action took place in Paris last week.

Around 40 culture workers took inspiration from the occupation of the Odeon theater in paris and decided to do the same in Nantes, France.
They say they won't leave the theater until the governement gave them clear guarantees when it comes to the reopenning of culture places (cinema, theaters, museum, concerts...). They also wants to be sure they will have the social rights they have received since the beginning of the Covid-19 crisis, and they denounce a reform of unemployement system that would decrease the income of unemployed people.
On their first day of occupation, their protest took the form of general assemblies where they organized their action, their relation with the outside world, to get food, somethings to sleep on for the days to come.

0:21: "If Johanna (Nantes' mayor) wants to come here and sleep with us, that's her choice, but we're not asking for it".

0:51: Fabienne, stage manager specialized in light and sound: "We have decided to come here and occupy a symbolic place in the middle of Nantes; the Graslin theater. We want to fight the same was as our friends in the Odeon theater in Paris and that it could spread to more theaters in France. Culture is a form of expression whether it's a painting, sculpture, theater, opera, rock or electro, it is, first of all, a form of expression and we want our freedom of expression back as we brutally lost it a year ago."

1:22: one of the culture workers: "as no one is talking i'll talk, it means we need papers and pens, a way to communicate with the outside world, the sanitary side, where can we wash our hands, set up a table and have a place to eat. Basically all the logistic."

1:44: Martine Ritz, union member and actor: "In the end we can take decision all the times, today, tomorrow and the day after."

1:55: "There are workers here that are fighting for their rights"

The video ends with a vote, the occupants are deciding on the moment they wil hold agora with the public outside the theater, they agree on 1pm.