The scourge of every tourist district of Paris, the gypsy girls who use their “phoney petitions” to harass people for money (and the more daring ones will use the petition as a decoy while pickpocketing their victims).
People are always asking how to spot them, but they’re pretty obvious: young, short, dark-haired girls (sometimes boys), walking around in groups with paper in their hands. These are the same ones who do the “Is this your ring?” trick, as well. Ignore them, don’t let them touch you.
These tourists signed the petition and then spent the next ten minutes trying to get away as the gypsies demanded a “donation”. They could see I was taking their photo, but I don’t think they care.