"Let's Poop in the Seine"… Paris Citizens' 'Angry Campaign' Ahead of the Olympics

Citizens Launch Campaign of Frustration and Anger
Criticism Arises Over Ignoring Various Social Issues While Investing 2 Trillion Won in Stadium Water Quality

With the opening of the Paris Olympics just one month away, a campaign titled "Let's poop in the Seine" has taken place in Paris, France.

On August 18 last year, athletes were diving during the men's triathlon Olympic test event held at the Seine River in Paris, France. Swimming competitions were not held on the 19th and 20th for two days due to the deterioration of the Seine River's water quality to protect the athletes' health.
[Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

On the 23rd (local time), foreign media including the UK’s Sky News reported that a threatening campaign urging citizens to "poop in the Seine" has been launched in the Seine River, where the triathlon swimming and open water swimming, known as the 'swimming marathon,' will be held during this Olympics. During the 1900 Paris Olympics, swimming events were held in the Seine River that runs through Paris, but due to water pollution caused by industrialization and an increase in sightseeing boats, swimming has been completely banned for over 100 years since 1923. Although water purification projects began for the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics, the Seine still exceeds the standard levels for bacteria such as E. coli, leading to ongoing controversy over its suitability for sporting events. Additionally, a website with the hashtag '#JeChieDansLaSeineLe23Juin' has emerged, further highlighting the Seine issue. This French hashtag means "I poop in the Seine on June 23."

A composite photo showing a toilet placed in the Seine River in Paris, France. [Image source=Capture from X (formerly Twitter)]

The website mocks French President Emmanuel Macron and Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, who declared they would swim in the Seine to prove its cleanliness. The site claims, "They threw us into the poop, and now it’s their turn to fall into our poop."

The site also provides a calculation tool where citizens can input how far they are from central Paris to find out when they should defecate so that the waste reaches the city center by noon on the 23rd. The campaign’s start date was set for the 23rd because that was the day Mayor Hidalgo promised to swim. However, Mayor Hidalgo canceled her swim on the 23rd due to rising river levels and later reversed her decision, promising to keep her commitment before the Olympics begin.

An anonymous programmer who created the site explained to local media why citizens are outraged about the Seine issue. He said, "The problem is that all the resources invested so far have not solved the social issues we are currently facing," emphasizing, "We feel abandoned. We know where their priorities have been." Despite numerous social problems, huge funds were invested to make the river clean enough to swim in, but the water quality remains unsuitable for swimming. According to water quality analyses conducted by the Paris city from June 1 to 9, E. coli levels exceeded the European swimming guidelines and the International Triathlon Union’s standard (1,000 per 100mL). At least 1.4 billion euros (approximately 2 trillion 815 billion KRW) have been spent so far on the Seine water purification project, including modernization of water treatment facilities and construction of large-scale wastewater storage tanks.