Musical activists targeted in Paris protest
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The gist
French police teargassed the Orchestre du Nouveau Monde during a Paris protest, hitting 25 instrument cases.
The all-volunteer orchestra is a fixture at student demonstrations nationwide.
Background
The Orchestre du Nouveau Monde (New World Orchestra) is an all-volunteer ensemble founded four years ago to use music to raise awareness of social issues, growing from a circle of 20 friends to roughly 150 musicians and supporters. It has performed at the foot of glaciers in the French Alps, at the Trocadéro during COP30, and outside the National Rally headquarters. The orchestra has become a fixture at recent protests in Paris, appearing at student protests that started across the country about a month ago.
How it unfolded
- 2022Étienne Jarrier co-founded the Orchestre du Nouveau Monde 'to find new ways forward'.
- 2024Lienhard joined the orchestra after seeing an Instagram performance outside the National Rally headquarters.
- Oct 6, 2026Musicians marched with protesters in Paris.
- Oct 17, 2026Musicians performed during a protest in Paris as part of a nationwide mobilisation.
- Oct 20, 2026CNN reported the orchestra had joined the almost month-long student demonstrations in France.
- Oct 23, 2026Reports published on French police teargassing the orchestra at Place de la République in Paris.
Who’s saying what
- Party
- Conductor Étienne Jarrier said 'We just wanted to bring joy to the streets' and described the experience as 'surreal'.
- Party
- Percussionist Constant Sala said 'We tried to resist and to play through the gas, but it was too hard' and that a few musicians were really scared.
- Party
- Orchestra member Lienhard said the orchestra frequently receives hate mail and threats online.