France, especially the capital Paris, experienced a clash between two worlds on Saturday and Sunday: while hundreds of thousands of people marched in protest against the cost of living, with various scenes of violence, looting and barricades in flames shown live by television channels, many residents and even some tourists kept to their routine and frequented the country’s chic cafés.
According to a Le Monde report, it was as if “two worlds intertwined in a surreal night.” The newspaper highlights in its edition on Monday that, everywhere, in the heart of Paris, cafés remained open on Sunday night, with people drinking beer and spritz [a cocktail made with Prosecco].
Meanwhile, on the same sidewalk, small groups entered stores with shattered display windows and left with arms full of bottles, sunglasses or home appliances.
Around them, crowds ran to elude the security forces and onlookers took selfies in front of police cars. “A blond young woman, with the French flag over her shoulders, takes selfies in front of a pile of burned bicycles for her Instagram; as if the violence of the last days were the latest manifestation of the ‘society of the spectacle,’” described the newspaper.
The newspaper described a scene that was common during the two nights. In the famous department store BHV, a few steps from the City Hall (Hôtel de Ville), a stunned security guard watched as a group of about ten people, wearing sneakers and with faces covered, broke one of the display windows, ran between the shelves and, in an instant, carried away watches and jewelry. And this under the frightened gaze of tourists.
The tally of violence and looting of stores, shopping centers and other types of commerce over the weekend is not yet fully counted, but initial estimates speak of hundreds of millions of euros in losses. At least 3,000 stores were vandalized across the country and the government promised to create financing lines and emergency insurance payments.
Punitive measures are also being announced. A large portion of the more than 200 detainees across the country will be prosecuted and some preventive detentions were carried out on Monday. The number of looters was estimated at 30,000.
Loot from looting for sale on the Internet
Another unusual fact is that resale sites, such as the popular Vinted, were flooded in the last hours with items probably stolen during the protests. Photos show items such as bags full of Sephora products, with the advertisement: “I’m selling the bag for 10 euros,” says a Le Figaro report.
Moreover, there were advertisements with lots of new and identical lipsticks, heaps of cosmetics, Pokémon collectible cards still bearing the store’s price tag. And the ads did not bother to hide the illicit origin of the products: “Makeup October 17” and “Stone Island sweater, stolen (sic) during the October 17 protest,” were some of the calls on Vinted. Another item was a LOSC shirt still with the anti-theft device
