Looters ravaged Rue Paradis, a historic commercial avenue in Marseille, leaving shop windows cracked and stores boarded up. For over a century, the street catered to affluent shoppers, but now lies battered in crisis. Handwritten signs on closed doors read "Store is empty, Closed." A week of mostly peaceful demonstrations across France devolved into clashes, allowing looters to break into stores and malls.
In Marseille, about 500 businesses were affected, according to the regional Chamber of Commerce. At Centre Bourse mall, looters sacked 32 of 34 stores. Some shop owners distinguished looters from protesters, whom they support.
Following government protest bans and curfews, a demonstration was expected in Marseille on Saturday. Merchants recovered while questioning police preparedness.
Source: New York Times Top Stories · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing