On May 24^th 1968, President De Gaulle broadcasted a speech over the radio and on the television offering a solution to the crisis. De Gaulle recognizes that France "is on the edge of paralysis. Facing ourselves, and facing the work…." and states that "we Frenchmen must settle the essential problem… otherwise we will drift through civil war to the most odious and most ruinous adventures and usurpations."^[1] Unfortunately the speech "was uninspired and out of touch with reality", and provoked rather than appeased the demonstrators.^[2] A Times article from May 25^th reported "almost certainly --- President De Gaulle missed the point in his broadcast last night. This is that a large mass of Frenchmen no longer believe that de Gaulle and his obedient Ministers can meet or even understand the demands that the strikers and the student are making".^[3] There is decline in the trust and support of de Gaulle and his government has declined and the millions of those striking no longer identify President de Gaulle with the interest of the nation. Just a few hours after the broadcast Paris would suffer its' third bloody Friday in May as demonstrators as well as gangs sweep through the city. Demonstrators were a mix of workers' unions and university students although it did not appear that were much organization to the protests. The evening turned in chaos as buildings such as the Brouse, the stock exchange, was set on fire, and barricades were erected in Latin Quarter once more.^[4] More so, than the previous demonstrations, this events is fueled by anger and frustration. Nearly a month has passed since the occupation of Sorbonne on May 3rd and the end seemed nowhere in sight. As the evening went on, police made no distinction between passerby's, demonstrators, and the doctors and nurses who attempted to help the wounded. The riots and violence spread out into Nantes, Bordeaux and Lyons and by the end of the night, over 500 were wounded, 800 were arrested, and two dead. May 24^th saw the first deaths of the events of May, one being a police officer, and the other, a demonstrator on the barricades.^[5] This night though not as infamous as the Night of Barricades, showed that the students and workers were not slowing down. Still together in their goal, they showed de Gaulle and Paris what they were capable of, nearly bringing all France to a complete halt.

[1] "De Gaulle's television speech 24 May 1968" The Times, 25 May, 1968 in Absalom, 54

[2] Bernard E. Brown Protest in Paris: Anatomy of a Revolt, (New Jersey: General Learning Press, 1974), 19.

[3] "De Gaulle's television speech 24 May 1968" The Times, 25 May, 1968 in Absalom, 54

[4] Absalom, 42

[5] Absalom, 42

Arc de Triomphe - Paris Tourist Office." Bureau, Paris Convention and Visitors. Accessed March 28, 2019. https://en.parisinfo.com/paris-museum-monument/71396/Arc-de-Triomphe.

"Arc de Triomphe." Centre des monuments nationaux. Accessed March 28, 2019. http://www.paris-arc-de-triomphe.fr/en/.

Murray, Lorraine. "Arc de Triomphe" Encyclopaedia Britannica Inc. March 13, 2019. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Arc-de-Triomphe

Brown, Bernard. E. Protest in Paris: Anatomy of a Revolt. New Jersey: General Learning Press, 1974.