According to France 24, between 550,000 and 800,000 people participated in protests across France on 17/10. These demonstrations were held to oppose rising living costs and public spending cuts. While most protestors marched peacefully, several locations escalated into riots.
Groups broke into and looted stores and businesses in multiple cities. In Paris, masked individuals vandalized numerous storefronts, destroyed restaurants and other businesses, and set cars on fire. They targeted flagship stores of luxury brands, including Hermes, Celine, and Louis Vuitton, amid clashes with riot police.
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The facade of a Hermes store in Marseille was severely damaged after riots on 17/10. Photo: AFP |
Near Republique square, the glass facade of a skincare store was shattered. Looters inside grabbed cosmetic and skincare products, throwing them to dozens of people gathered outside.
In Lille, a city in northern France, Mayor Arnaud Deslandes confirmed that looters broke into the Apple Store in the city center. Meanwhile, in Nice, sporting goods stores and a moto dealership suffered similar fates. Unrest and looting also spread to the high-end shopping district on Rue Sainte-Catherine in Bordeaux.
* Celine store attacked
The high value of the stolen goods made these incidents particularly notable. At Celine, many bag models cost 2,000-3,000 euro, while high-end jackets and apparel could reach several thousand euro. Hermes products were even more expensive, priced from 10,000 to tens of thousands of euro.
Beyond vandalism, stores also faced extensive looting. Replacing rare items poses a significant challenge. According to the French Federation of Retail and Trade, approximately 1,500 businesses sustained damage, resulting in estimated losses of hundreds of millions of euro.
Hoa Mi (according to France 24)
