“Why?” Shopkeepers try to prevent the destruction of their business in France

Athat it intended to be a demonstration against the increase in the cost of living in France, has become a stage of violence in several cities in the country.

During the weekend, protests against rising cost of living and the degradation of the education and health sectors, after almost 10 years of President Emmanuel Macron's mandate, climbed into a wave of violence that forced the government, this Monday, to decree to collect mandatory in several cities.

Before that, however, several commercial establishments and public spaces were vandalized, with some merchants, desperate, trying to defend with their own bodies what is theirs.

Shared images on social networks allow you to understand the desperation in which many are, afraid of losing their business, their livelihood.

One of the most impressive videos shows a woman, with a big stick, trying to prevent a group of young people from entering and vandalizing her shop. The woman, of short stature, does not let herself bow to the advances of the Protestant group and ends up relying on the help of other men, who stand before her and tell people to move away.

“ She's a sister. Don’t loot here, let’s go there!” Muslim rivers in France recognize the shop owner as a fellow Muslim just before nearly destroying her store by accident. Not a single Muslim-owned business or mosque has been looted in the riots. https://t.co/bM6uhcCMY3

— Dr Maalouf (@realMaalouf) October 19, 2026

In another video, with a different ending, a desperate woman questions the protesters about “what is the need” to destroy their commercial space.

“ Why are you doing this? This is not the cause [of the struggle]”, shouts the woman, visibly desperate.

This French woman just accomplished she’s now a refugee in her own nation. Will this be a tipping point for France? Probably not but it should be. Oppose 3rd world invaders at all cost if you like living in a 1st world country accordingly... # CityLife #france #paris #enrichment #police #caliphate #protect #looting #riot #diversity #Marseille #lyon #war

— Mrgunsngear (@Mrgunsngear) October 17, 2026

In another video, recorded this weekend, you can see a man standing up to protestors to defend his video game store. This one gets hit.

Nice, France store owner was jumped kick to the ground, rocks grown at him. He stood his ground to protect his business from the heatens who destroyed everything in sight. #paris #protest https://t.co/yQt0oAa0NK

— Brookerteejones (@Brookertejones) October 18, 2026

The disturbances of recent days included looting of commercial establishments, attacks on public buildings and clashes with security forces in Paris and other French cities.

The Minister of Trade, Serge Papin, announced that measures to reduce working hours (equivalent to a partial unemployment regime) will be applied to the commercial sector as of Tuesday, in addition to the creation of a “specific support fund”.

It has already been announced yesterday in several cities, such as Paris and Lille, and the possibility of the government declaring a state of emergency is not set aside.