Looters seize on massive French protests to raid and vandalise shops

Looters in several French cities on Saturday broke into stores ranging from a high-end luxury brand to a bakery, on the sidelines of cost-of-living protests, witnesses and authorities said. In Paris, near the République square, the front window of a skincare brand came crashing down, with looters tossing beauty products to dozens of people massing outside. Looters also threw mobile phones into the crowd after breaking into a telecommunications shop. Read moreLooting, fires and clashes rock France amid massive nationwide protests The main monument in Republique was covered in graffiti, with pavings tones ripped up from its feet, and a bar called “La Barrique” was ablaze. Youths broke into a supermarket nearby, grabbing alcohol bottles and drink cans to hurl at police officers, another reporter said. In the second-largest city of Marseille, angry protesters vandalised dozens of shops, targeting luxury brand Hermès as well as others stores selling jewellery, clothes, makeup, household appliances and even bread. The fire brigade said it had intervened to put out a fire that had started at a shoe shop. In the northern city of Lille, shops were vandalised, with looters in particular brea...