Apple Stores in Bordeaux, Lille Looted During French Protests
Apple retail stores in Bordeaux and Lille were looted during demonstrations against the cost of living in France, according to reporting cited by MacRumors…
Apple stores in Bordeaux and Lille were looted during French protests against the cost of living, MacRumors reported on October 21, citing Boursorama. The stores were among businesses attacked across the country as demonstrations turned violent.
The incidents put two Apple retail locations among a much wider wave of looting and damage. AFP reported that authorities had arrested 1,200 people and that 150 police officers had been injured by late Saturday.
Shops targeted across France
France saw clashes between police and protesters, fires and widespread looting on Saturday as nationwide marches over inflation devolved into street violence. The Interior Ministry said 550,000 people attended the demonstrations; the CGT union, which joined the marches, put attendance at 800,000.
Stores in several cities were hit. AFP said looting affected supermarkets, pharmacies, luxury boutiques, clothing retailers, opticians, cosmetics sellers and consumer electronics shops in Paris, Marseille, Nice, Nantes, Bordeaux, Limoges, Lille, Toulouse and Strasbourg.
In Paris, AFP reporters saw masked groups disconnecting security cameras before smashing shop windows and entering stores. The attacks also extended beyond retailers: town halls were targeted in several cities, a police compound was vandalized in Bordeaux, and a tourist office was set on fire in Lyon, AFP reported.
The Bordeaux Apple location, Apple Sainte-Catherine, had also been looted in December 2018 during unrest linked to the “yellow vest” demonstrations, according to MacRumors. The current report does not specify the extent of damage at either Apple store or whether the shops have reopened.
Protests over living costs
The demonstrations came after weeks of student protests and amid political uncertainty ahead of elections expected in six months, AFP reported. The protests focused on the cost of living, while some participants also raised concerns about schools and social inequality, according to reporting by DW.
French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu condemned what he called “violence of extreme intensity.” He said 1,200 people had been arrested and 150 police officers hurt, AFP reported. Police used tear gas and water cannon, while protesters threw projectiles and fireworks.
The scale of the damage has direct consequences for people who rely on local shops and services: businesses across affected cities faced break-ins, fires or vandalism, while police resources were deployed to respond to clashes. The reports do not provide a total value for losses or say how long individual stores will remain closed.
President Emmanuel Macron said on X that people who carried out vandalism, attacked public offices or businesses, or looted would be prosecuted and punished, according to AFP. The Bordeaux and Lille stores were among the businesses looted during the unrest.
Source: macrumors.com
