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Saturday 1 July 2023

Really?



France riots: Teen's death being used as 'pretext for robbing' in Marseille, says store owner

Franc Attali lost 100,000 euros (£86,000) in a night, his shop one of dozens in Marseille broken into by rioters.

"The store was full of merchandise, now it's completely empty," he says as he shows me around.

Be Weep is usually full of clothes and shoes. Now, the glass shelves have been stripped completely clean and the front window has been smashed in.


A chap is bound to wonder how many looters even know the teenager's name. Not as well as they know the brands they are after - that would be a cynic's guess.

5 comments:

Sam Vega said...

A chap is bound to wonder how many looters even know the teenager's name. Not as well as they know the brands they are after - that would be a cynic's guess.

"Nike is proud and delighted to bring you the latest in its line of urban sports footwear: the Nahel."

Macheath said...

There seems to be an element of looting-to-order in operation: some research in local papers (ahead of an imminent journey) reveals that, in one small provincial city, there were numerous social media calls to action ‘mainly targeting banks, jewellers and brand-name clothes shops, particularly the nearby designer shopping outlets’.

Meanwhile, photos of the aftermath of the previous evening’s riot showed a ransacked lingerie shop; while the Revolution had its sans-culottes, today’s deprived citizens are apparently in want of more fundamental attire.

A K Haart said...

Sam - "The latest in our Nike Lootie range of urban athletics wear."

Macheath - intelligence services and social media platforms must know about looting to order. They may be too slow or stretched to respond effectively, but possibly they are looking for more resources from government and this is a convenient way to apply pressure.

Anonymous said...

It could be like the Burn, Loot, Murder riots in the USA, where the only things not stolen were work boots and hand tools.
And the only shops not looted were owned by Vietnamese, who were on the roof, armed with firearms. Funny that.
Perhaps some enterprising French could be led to follow that example, though in Micron's France, they would be the ones prosecuted.
Penseivat

A K Haart said...

Penseivat - I remember reading somewhere that the Burn, Loot, Murder riots didn't touch certain Mexican areas because it was made quite clear that rioters would be shot. I'm sure you are right, in Micron's France people who took that approach would would be prosecuted.