Over 20,000 Shoes Represent Crowds At Paris Climate Change Protest

Thousands of pairs of shoes stood on the streets of Paris to represent protestors as a major UN Climate Summit starts in the French Capital. With only a fortnight passed since the Paris attacks, protestors were warned about mass demonstration. However, activists didn’t allow that to stop them from sharing their opinion. Environmentalists used shoes to symbolically demonstrate who would have been there. Over 20,000 shoes and sandals represent the would-be crowd. It includes a pair of black leather shoes sent by Pop Francis. The protestors are urging the UN assembly to consider more options for renewable energy.

Pope Francis' shoes being placed in the Place de la Republic in solidarity with the climate march #StanfordCOP21 pic.twitter.com/mp7M8KCwom

— Madeline Lisaius (@mlisiaus) November 30, 2015

Despite warnings several people gathered on Sunday night. The protests turned violent with police using tear-gas to disperse the crowds. Elsewhere in the city, another virtual crowd gathered Sunday night ahead of the COP21 summit, in the form of a large art installation projected on the side of Paris' Assemblee Nationale. The art installation, called 'The Standing March,' was created by Academy Award nominated film director Darren Aronofsky and French artist JR project.

On Assemblée Nationale #TheStandingMarch live til 4am & Nov30 8pm-2am World is watching by @JRart & @DarrenAronofsky pic.twitter.com/ADYtWYgv53 — Elodie's Paris (@Paris_by_Elodie) November 29, 2015

There were also protests in other countries, with hundreds of marchers in London joined by fashion designer Vivienne Westwood and actress Emma Thompson. In Berlin, around 5,000 people marched with some dressed as penguins.