Before the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, people with disabilities delivered a stinging rebuke of government lethargy by demonstrating how challenging and annoying it is to travel alone by train into Paris as a protest against years of unfulfilled promises.
Babou Sene, 31, had to dismount his wheelchair in Melun, a town outside of Paris, and shuffle with assistance down two flights of stairs before boarding the 11:15 suburban train to Gare de Lyon, which connects to the only Metro line in the future Olympic host city that is entirely accessible.
Other disabled people were compelled to stay behind and carry placards protesting the poor accessibility of public services. Their heavy electric wheelchairs couldn’t be carried to the train platform for the Paris-bound train. Sene was helped up the stairs, across the gap between the platform and the train, and in his smaller hand-pushed chair.
Being unable to move around is really aggravating, according to Sene. “Anger, frustration, revolt, and resignation are the feelings. Because in reality, despite the arguments we’ve had, we still feel as though no one is paying attention to us.”