In the decades I’ve lived in Paris I’ve seen, and covered, many street protests. But last weekend was the first time I got to be in one.

Paris was one of numerous cities in France, and Europe, in which Americans joined millions in the U.S. to protest the ways in which Donald Trump is pillaging the nation. Whew, saying that felt good. As a journalist I wasn’t allowed to express political opinions in public. I support the policy, but it’s nice to be free of the strictures.

Photo: Jeb Seder

The demonstration was at Place de la République, home to many expressions of public opinion and emotion over the years. Most notably, more than a million people mourned the Charlie Hebdo terrorist killings in January 2015, and then again after the Bataclan massacres in November of the same year. Some of those attacks occurred near the famous square as well.

On this sunny day, we were one of several groups sharing the expanse.

This one is pushing to support and expand the national health system. Even though French care is among the best in the world—everyone is covered and nobody declares medical bankruptcy—it’s in some financial stress right now.

On the other side of the large square, demonstrators called for the Central African Republic’s president,  Faustin Archange Touadéra, not to run for a third term, which the constitution prohibits him from doing (sound familiar?). Millions in the former French colony have been protesting in the streets of the capital, Bangui.

There was a popup playground in another corner but no one seemed to be protesting anything.

The Hands Off demo attracted maybe 70 people during the time we were there. The sound system wasn’t great, so we couldn’t hear the speeches or the music. But everyone cheered and jeered and otherwise expressed their views about the men—lots of signs targeted Elon Musk—who are dismantling the government.

And the attendees weren’t just American. A French lady appeared to be a connoisseur of street protests. She’d learned about this one from a web site that tracks demos. “I’m just glad this was today and not tomorrow because I have to go to the anti-Marine-Le-Pen one here then,” she said.

Le Pen, head of France’s far-right National Rally party, was barred by a criminal court last month from running for president—she’s already tried twice—as part of her conviction for embezzling public funds. That might seem like justice at work to those of us at the Place de la République, who thought political leaders should be treated like anyone else under the law. Unsurprisingly, Trump, J.D. Vance and Hungarian semi-dictator Viktor Orban all criticized the French ruling.

The anti-Le-Pen demo the next day filled most of the Place de la République, far more than we Americans had been able to muster.

Across town, Le Pen herself held a rally. Standing in front of Napoleon’s tomb, she thundered, “They tell us not to criticize the decisions of justice. But this wasn’t justice. This was a political decision.” The ranks of supporters behind her nodded and the crowd cheered.

Watching on television, I felt a frisson of déjà vu.