“I arrived in Paris to find shards of glass”... A traveler describes the situation on the ground amid protests in France

[Financial News] As large-scale protests spread across France, travelers planning to visit major cities such as Paris are concerned about safety. With looting and arson reported in some areas, some say travelers should cancel their plans, while others say sightseeing is possible as long as they avoid protest sites.
On the 19th, travelers planning to visit France posted a series of questions on Naver travel forums and other online communities about local safety and whether sightseeing was possible.
A user about to travel posted under the title, “Is anyone canceling their trip because of the Paris protests?” and asked other travelers whether they were canceling their trips.
Some travelers currently in Paris said they were getting around without much trouble by avoiding protest sites. One user said, “I’ve been in Paris for 10 days now. On days when there were demonstrations, I avoided those areas, so I had no problems at all.”
He also shared his experience that tourists could get around as long as they stayed away from protest sites. “The demonstrators and police aren’t interested in tourists,” he said, adding, “There could be traffic problems, but I think things should be fine if you prepare for that.”
Others said travelers should be cautious because the size and locations of the protests could change suddenly. Damage has occurred even in places frequented by tourists, including department stores, making it difficult to guarantee their safety.
A traveler who said he arrived in Paris on the 17th (local time) said he saw signs of the protests in the streets. “There was debris all over the city,” he said. “I saw shards of glass and dented chairs, and the Champs-Élysées was quiet, too.”
Protests against rising living costs and fuel prices are spreading across France. About 2,400 people have been arrested during the protests, and around 1,000 police officers and gendarmes are reported to have been injured.
Most demonstrations were peaceful, but some areas saw outbreaks of violence. In Paris, shop windows were smashed and vehicles were set on fire. Looting targeting shops was also reported in Marseille, Bordeaux, Nice and Strasbourg.
Property damage to shops and businesses is also reported to be substantial. The French Retail and Commerce Federation estimated that around 1,500 businesses nationwide were affected during the protests, with total losses expected to reach hundreds of millions of euros.
The protests initially began as demonstrations by high school students calling for better educational conditions. In mid-last month, students gathered in Créteil, outside Paris, in support of striking teachers. The demonstrations later spread to working-class neighborhoods and public high schools across the country.
Students continued protesting, calling for improvements to poor educational conditions.
Starting this month, labor unions and civic groups also joined the protests. They backed the students’ calls for better educational conditions while also protesting rising living costs and fuel prices.
Energy prices surged after the war in Iran began last February, and the number of participants reportedly grew as citizens opposed to the French government’s large-scale austerity measures joined the protests.
French President Emmanuel Macron took a hard line on acts of violence during the protests. “Those who committed acts of destruction must pay the price,” he said. “Violence cannot be justified or forgiven for any reason.”


[email protected] Han Seung-gon Reporter