Paris put almost 2,000 sanitation workers on cleanup duty and opened an aid unit for merchants after weekend unrest damaged shops and disrupted trade in the French capital.
Residents helped clear debris near Place de la République after violence on Oct. 17 and 18, the city said in an Oct. 19 update. The new unit will help merchants record losses, deal with administrative and insurance claims, and reopen their businesses.
The damage has left shop owners and employees facing repairs and interrupted work.
Euronews reported supportive online reactions to footage of people confronting looters. In Nice, Micromania employee Pierre said in an interview with Nostalgie Nice that he tried to stop people from entering the store on avenue Jean-Médecin on Oct. 17. The store was looted, and Pierre said he was struck but suffered minor scrapes. He cautioned others against risking their safety to protect a shop.
The Associated Press reported that large numbers of people marched peacefully in nationwide demonstrations over living costs and conditions in schools. Paris officials distinguished the attacks on shops from the wider protests.
Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said Oct. 19 that ministers were discussing a business support fund and faster insurance payments. France's Economy Ministry scheduled ministers to speak at 6:30 a.m. ET (10:30 a.m. UTC) on Oct. 20 after an extraordinary business council meeting on the damage.
