Protestsupdated 52m ago2 min read
Paris Merchants Prepare for 'Act II' After October 17 Vandalism and Looting
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After October 17 vandalism and looting, Paris merchants brace for act II. Some barricade behind plywood as shops prepare for Saturday protests.
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Act II preparations in Paris
Merchants in Paris prepared for an 'act II' on Saturday after the October 17 demonstration marked by acts of vandalism and looting in many Parisian shops. A passerby near Place de la République in Paris said, "It looks like a war here!" as the meeting place for protests still bore the marks of the October 17 demonstrations. City workers cleaned the Monument to the Republic with high-pressure water jet while messages like "Nique le RN" and "Everyone hates the police" were set to be erased and the statue made spotless again.
An optician near Place de la République said, "They wrecked everything," and she planned to close her shop while hoping the neighborhood would be spared this time. A gunsmith in the 10th arrondissement told France 24 he had "received several calls seeking information" as some merchants considered defending themselves with batons, tear gas canisters, and rubber ball launchers.
Economic stakes and spending
Carrefour CEO Alexandre Bompard sounded the alarm on Tuesday, October 20 by estimating the cost of damage and looting during the weekend of October 17 and 18 at between €80 million and €200 million for his group this year. Insee calculated in a note from September 2025 that the analysis showed a negative but not significant effect of about −0.1 percentage point of GDP in the quarter when the social movement occurred compared to the previous quarter. The final quarter of the year is crucial for retailers and for the entire economy due to Christmas sales, which are expected to lift household morale and boost consumption.
Household spending may plunge after the clashes and violence during the October 17 protests across France, dragging the entire economy down with it. Household purchasing power had already fallen sharply at −0.6% per consumption unit and consumption dropped by 0.5% in August, largely due to the heatwave.
Protest scale and political pressure
The Times of India described the October 17 turning point as a nationwide mobilisation involving students, organised labour and other groups concerned about living costs and public services. The government responded to violence with tighter security arrangements and plans for localised curfews after widespread damage to shops, public buildings and vehicles. Violence broke out around Place de la République and other parts of the capital, with some groups throwing projectiles, setting fires and looting shops.
The government moved towards localised curfews, reported as plans, as parliament began debating the 2027 budget by October 13. The Times of India said the government responded to violence with tighter security arrangements and plans for localised curfews after widespread damage to shops, public buildings and vehicles.