Thunder and lightning have boomed across Marseille following the weekend’s mayhem, illuminating the cracked windows and boarded-up doors of hundreds of businesses that were smashed as protests gave way to disorder.
France’s second city saw some of the worst violence as chaos gripped the country on Saturday. Local business leaders say more than 500 premises were damaged, and the majority looted. A police union boss told the BBC that the weekend had been an “apocalyptic” hell for his colleagues. 118 officers were injured, representing more than a tenth of the national figure. It was police who were most conspicuous on the city’s streets, not protesters. For eight hours, demonstrations and gatherings were banned in an effort to avoid a third consecutive day of disorder.
For businesses and victims of violence, the government is implementing state-financed furlough measures to avoid layoffs, and providing funds to help companies meet cashflow needs. Insurers have promised speedy payouts to cover some of the damage, which hit more than 3,000 shops.
The protests began last month at high schools in Paris’ working-class northern suburbs, where anger over teacher shortages and shabby facilities evolved into a broader movement. The government has so far not committed to substantial extra funding for schools but has pledged to send some 3,000 teachers, who are qualified but not yet working, to fill staffing gaps.
France’s extremely strained public finances mean the government has precious little room for broader measures to address protesters’ anger over the rising cost of living. It has already hiked emergency spending this year to help certain sectors like farmers, fishermen and haulers cope with high fuel costs caused by the Iran war.