Rim Chelly drives a cab, adores her dog Lulu, and says that every minute counts in Paris. She is one of the many migrants who have made Paris her home but unlike many, this former banker moved from Tunis to the French capital, not because of any financial constraints.
“It’s because I did not like the boss,” she says in broken English. Six years back, Rim came to Paris fed up with the “system” in the bank she was working at. She has her father — a government employee, mother and three working sisters back home.
Rim got a car, got it registered with a cab aggregator and, during the Olympic Games, will also ferry ‘outsider’ officials who have landed in Paris for the Olympic Games. “It’s a nuisance. I do not like these Games even though there is a huge opportunity to earn money. Too many disruptions, detours,” she says. “But there is an economic boost which you cannot ignore.”
Parisians have been complaining about the stifling security and barricades which can be seen everywhere in the city. They feel violated by the more don’ts and less dos. “Irritating,” says Rim.
With makeshift venues coming up inside the city, many of the streets will be out of bounds for the Parisians and the tourists over the next two weeks. Like the road that leads to the Roland Garros main gate will be closed from Saturday, the day tennis action starts. Fans who had flocked the near-empty Stadio Roland Garros on Friday looked minuscule compared to the platoon of security personnel who were manning the tennis venue.
For Thomas Medi, though, it’s not an issue. “I am looking forward to the Games. We are known to crib about everything but if you ask me, I am happy that our city is hosting the Olympic Games,” the former call centre employee says. But the traffic disruptions? “Well yes, that’s a bit of trouble. Like till now (11am local time), we do not know if taxis would be allowed in the central district during the opening ceremony.”
Thomas, who was born in Paris but to parents who migrated from Morocco and Serbia, is a die-hard Paris Saint-Germain fan and rues the fact that Kylian Mbappe had left for Madrid. He is also not very fond of Lionel Messi, but unlike many PSG fans who think the Argentine did not give his all during his two-year stay in Paris, he says Messi found it difficult to adjust to a new city.
For a second-generation migrant, the 24-year-old also gives an insight into their aspirations and struggles.
“For us to survive in Paris, we have to be on our toes all the time.”
He gives 500 euros every month to the company he has leased the car from and for every trip, the aggregator takes a 25 per cent commission. “Life is not a bed of roses for us.”
He voted for the Left in the general elections even though right-wing leader Marine Le Pen’s few ideas appealed to him. “She speaks sense on some issues but when it comes to migrants her policy is too divisive.”
Migrants, and racism are thorny issues across Europe. In the media conferences Mbappe had during the recently concluded Euro 2024, the France captain repeatedly appealed to young voters like Thomas to ensure that the fascist forces were defeated. “I know he said that. He is a big star in France,” Thomas revealed. “In a few years, he will be bigger than Zidane,” he said as an afterthought.
Thomas has an issue with the Argentina celebratory video post the Copa America victory. It created a racial storm as French players castigated Chelsea player Enzo Fernandez who had shared the video on social media. “That’s not in good spirit. They have angered us more,” Thomas said.
Since the 2018 World Cup second-round match which Les Bleus won, Argentina and France’s supporters have been going at each other and the hatred refuses to ebb.
