The damage caused by the protests and looting in France has now risen to over one billion euros, reports the French employers’ organization Medef. In the protests that have been going on for days, more than 200 shops have been completely looted, according to the organization. In addition, more than 300 bank branches were damaged and 250 tobacconists’ shops were also looted.
The amount of the damage does not yet include the damages suffered by the country due to the lack of tourist income. According to Europe reporter Stefan de Vries, the damage is far greater than that caused by previous major protests in France. “It is certainly much higher than the 2005 riots, but that was almost 20 years ago. But the damage is probably even higher than the riots in the yellow vest movement. This too was often limited to city centers, when shop windows they were mainly damaged.’
More damage than in previous protests
The damage that has now been done is much greater, De Vries points out. More than 1,300 buildings across the country were damaged or destroyed in the fire. Many (small) shops were looted. Nearly 6,000 cars went up in flames, but also trams, buses and schools, for example. It is a much greater stain of destruction that has spread across the country.”
After days of protests and nightly looting, it was relatively quiet last night, reports De Vries. It was a relatively quiet night with no major incidents. At midnight, seventeen people had been arrested, much less than at the same time in recent days.’ More than 4,000 people have been arrested since the riots began.
Poor communities
The protests began after a police officer shot and killed 17-year-old Nahel in the Paris suburb of Nanterre. During a traffic check, the officer immediately killed the teenager. The political scientist Laurent Chambon sees the core of the problem in the amount of aid that municipalities where there are many disadvantaged neighborhoods receive. ‘We see that poor municipalities receive much less money than other municipalities, it’s really limited.’
According to Chambon, it is a problem that historically arose because popular neighborhoods were built on the edge of cities. ‘Since the 1950s, the poor have been placed on the outskirts of cities for use as cheap labour. Those are places where structurally poor people are kept.”
Discrimination
The origin of the French police should also be taken into account, says the political scientist. For example, Chambon mentions the past of the police in the field of colonial oppression.
The current image of the police in France is still extreme, Chambon says. “Eighty percent of police officers are right-wing extremists. There is enormous tension between the police, who do not help people but oppress them, and on the other hand people who are confronted with poverty, discrimination and racism”.
Source: BNR
Sharon Rock is an author and journalist who writes for 24 News Globe. She has a passion for learning about different cultures and understanding the complexities of the world. With a talent for explaining complex global issues in an accessible and engaging way, Sharon has become a respected voice in the field of world news journalism.
