Bastille Day

Question

Every year on July 14, France celebrates its independence. The French call this day Bastille Day, or La Fête Nationale.
In the French city of Paris, on July 14, 1789, a ragged crowd of people swept through the streets demanding justice. The crowd was on its way to Bastille, a fortress-like prison. For those people, the Bastille stood for all that was evil in France. Under the king's rule, the rich were given many privileges. They paid no taxes and lived in luxury, while the poor were heavily taxed and often went hungry. Anyone who objected was punished and thrown into the Bastille and forgotten. Then the day came that the people decided to take the bull by the horns, and marched on Bastille to free the prisoners. After freeing the prisoners, they began to tear down the prison, stone by stone. The crowd had taken the law into their hands and the tearing down of Bastille marked the beginning of the French Revolution.
Today, the celebration of Bastille Day begins the night before with a torchlight parade. At daybreak, cannons announce the arrival of the new day, which is followed by parades, games, speeches, and shows. At night, public buildings and fountains are lit and fireworks burst in the sky.
1
When the author says the crowd had “taken the law into their hands,” he or she means
A.
the crowd decided to fight the lawmaking authorities without using weapons.
B.
the crowd asked for help from the local law enforcement agencies.
C.
the crowd created new laws and asked them to be enforced immediately.
D.
the crowd found a way to free the offenders in a manner that was not legal.

Answer 1

The correct answer is: D. the crowd found a way to free the offenders in a manner that was not legal.

This choice reflects the idea that the crowd took action to liberate the prisoners by breaking the law, as they felt justified in doing so against a corrupt system.