1.5 billion euros on Seine cleanup, but French plan protest with #june23ishitintheseine

The French have a unique state of mind, and contrary to appearances, they are not always so classy and romantic. A new trending hashtag on the internet calls for collective defecation into the Seine River.

The Seine is not one of the cleanest rivers in the world. While it doesn't reach the levels of pollution seen in the Ganges, no one in their right mind would want to swim in a river flowing through Paris. Generally, water and large urban centers (sewage) do not mix well.

As Paris is set to host this year's summer Olympic Games, French authorities have undertaken significant efforts to clean the Seine effectively. Previous studies showed that the river's cleanliness was far below acceptable standards. This posed a problem when organizing water-based competitions. The government is making every effort to improve the water quality and promises that by June 23, the Seine will be a safe place for bathing. French President Emmanuel Macron has even vowed to be the first to swim in the cleaned river, assuring the public that any health concerns are unwarranted. But what do the French people think about this?

It turns out the residents of France have a keen sense of humor. Upon learning that cleaning the Seine for the Olympic Games cost 1.5 billion euros (about 1.6 billion US dollars) and hearing the promises from President Macron and Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo to swim in the river to demonstrate its cleanliness personally, they decided to organize... Sh*t in the River Day.

The event is set for June 23 and involves group defecation into the river. Anyone interested can gather at the bank of the freshly cleaned Seine and defecate there before the president and the mayor of Paris take their swim. The hashtag #jechiedanslaseinele23juin, which translates to #june23ishitintheseine, is trending on the internet. This is how the French protested against turning the Seine into a designated bathing area.