A shopkeeper says everything was taken as riots sweep Paris; business owners take stock of city damage

Violence reaches business districts

Rioters fought with police and set vehicles and trash bins on fire before masked marchers ransacked businesses. The attacks included shops in the trendy Marais shopping district. Employees at a fashion boutique in the area described the atmosphere as “dystopian,” according to the workers. They said tear gas seeped into the store, while some shoppers continued browsing.

Shop owner reports losses

A gold-buying shop owner said she had to close early on Saturday after the front window was smashed. “When I got back, they’d taken everything,” she said. Other businesses targeted or damaged included major supermarket chains, technology stores, bars and vape shops.

Damage varied across Paris

On Sunday, a ride through the city found increasingly visible destruction near Place de République, where the 3rd, 10th and 11th arrondissements meet. The area had seen some of Saturday’s most serious violence.

Conditions were calmer elsewhere. In Montmartre, terraces remained full of weekend visitors on Saturday, but by Sunday morning many Parisians elsewhere encountered broken storefronts and ATMs, shattered glass, litter and burned-out cars.

City promises business support

As the city worked to recover, Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire said local businesses would receive government assistance. He said he had asked for an “emergency task force to support shopkeepers” with insurance and administrative procedures.