Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Parisians have vowed to take to the river to defecate in protest of Olympics events in the Seine Getty Images With 35 days before the start of Paris' Olympic Games, last minute preparations are being made to ready the city, particularly to ensure that swimming events will be possible in the river Seine. Some Parisian residents have other ideas though, and are planning what they call a 'shit flashmob'—they say they will defecate in the river to protest against public money being spent on cleaning it up. The U.
K.'s Independent reports that the hashtag #JeChieDansLaSeineLe23Juin (which can be translated to 'I s*** in the Seine on June 23') is gaining traction across social media. The plan to hold several outdoor swimming events in the river Seine has long been controversial.
It formed one of the key tenets for Paris' winning Olympics bid—in the Olympics of 1904 the city held rowing, water polo and swimming events in the river, and the city has predominantly used existing infrastructure to hold events, claiming this to be one of the most sustainable Games in recent history. The Opening Ceremony is also due to take place on the iconic river, the first time it will be held outside of a stadium. Water quality, however, has been an issue almost since the last Games took place in the City of Lights.
Swimming has been officially banned in most parts of the Seine since 1923 due to the high levels of bacteria found lurking within i.
