"Crazy Pride March": Mental health protests held in several cities

Marching to destigmatize. Following demonstrations in several major cities around the world (Toronto, Seoul, Dublin, Marseille, London, etc.), five French cities are also organizing their own "mad pride."

These "crazy pride marches", intended to give voice to people suffering from mental health problems, will be organized this Saturday, October 11 in five cities in France: Brest ( Finistère ), Bordeaux ( Gironde ), Paris, Lyon ( Rhône ) and Montpellier ( Hérault ).

The motto is simple: stop making mental health a taboo and dare to say that someone is ill. "We don't talk about it much," explains Jules Pasdelou, a member of the Espas Dezordr collective behind the Mad Pride, to our colleagues at Côté Brest .

Among the demands of the participants in these pride marches are the abolition of forced treatment ("because psychiatric violence and all-medication are not compatible with respect for human rights"), "guaranteed" housing for all the homeless, and an end to discrimination and oppression such as social violence ("living in this society is psychologically harmful").

Five meeting places have been chosen for this Saturday. In Bordeaux, protesters will gather at 2 p.m. at Place de la Victoire, with the procession arriving at Porte Bourgogne.

In Montpellier, the procession will set off at 2 p.m. from the Corum, arriving at Place Albert 1er around 4 p.m., followed by an evening at the "Quartier Généreux" starting at 6 p.m.

In Brest, participants are expected to start at 2 p.m. at Place de la Liberté and the march will end at Square Wilson.

In Paris, the meeting point is at 2 p.m. at Place de la République and the arrival is scheduled for Place de la Nation.

Finally, in Lyon, the procession will set off from Place Jean Macé at 1:30 p.m.