French President Emmanuel Macron is set to meet with over 200 mayors to evaluate the ongoing riots that have been plaguing the country, as a significant deployment of police has resulted in a gradual decrease in the level of unrest overnight. The violence, which erupted following the police shooting of Nahel, a 17-year-old of North African descent, has come at a high cost for French businesses. The employer's lobby, Medef, estimates that the damages from the riots have exceeded €1 billion ($1.1 billion), with 200 businesses looted and 250 tobacco stores and 300 bank branches destroyed. However, these figures only cover the damages to businesses and do not include the destruction that has occurred to schools, town halls, and community centers.
Macron, in a show of support, met with police and firefighters overnight and will subsequently meet with mayors from the affected towns to discuss the situation. Meanwhile, the number of arrests has been steadily declining, reaching a mere 72 after peaking at over 1,300 on Friday. This decline in arrests can be attributed to the presence of 45,000 police and other security forces deployed across the country for a fourth consecutive night.
The data from the government indicates that the number of vehicles burned and buildings damaged has also decreased each night since reaching its peak on Thursday. Since the unrest began a week ago, nearly 3,500 individuals have been arrested.
In response to the crisis, Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire held a meeting with store owners in the town of Arpajon and discussed the potential fallout. To aid affected businesses, French insurers have agreed to extend the time frame within which store owners can file damage claims resulting from the riots, from five days to 30 days. Insurers are also considering reducing the deductibles on claims for those independent businesses that have been hit the hardest, and have pledged to expedite compensation payments. Additionally, the government is considering waiving social and fiscal charges for shop owners who have faced severe impacts due to the violence.
The recent arson attack on the home of the mayor of L'Hay-les-Roses, a suburb of Paris, has received widespread condemnation. The mayor's wife and two young children were able to escape through a back door, but the incident underscores the escalating severity of the unrest. These riots add another layer of difficulty for President Macron following the contentious pension reforms earlier this year, which prompted months of strikes and protests. The ongoing clashes between riot police and demonstrators further tarnish France's reputation and may have economic implications, compounding the pressure on the government to accelerate debt reduction measures.
France has experienced frequent labor unrest and street demonstrations in recent years, often marked by a confrontational atmosphere. The "Yellow Vest" movement, in particular, caused significant property damage prior to the pension protests and the COVID-19 pandemic.
The funeral for Nahel, the teenager whose shooting instigated the protests, was held in his hometown of Nanterre on Saturday. The police officer responsible for the shooting has been charged with murder and is currently in pre-trial detention. The officer's lawyer, Laurent-Franck Lienard, stated in an interview that the officer believed he had no choice but to use his weapon.