25.10.2026 08:10
During protests in France against the high cost of living, a striking dialogue from looting incidents was caught on camera. A woman taking a carton full of products from a store responded to someone who told her, "What you are doing is haram," with, "Who told you I was Muslim? I am Jewish." As clashes occurred between police and protesters in demonstrations attended by hundreds of thousands of people across the country, around a thousand people were detained.
Images of looting incidents in some cities after protests against the cost of living in France continue to attract attention. A dialogue between a woman alleged to have taken a cardboard box full of products from a store and a person who warned her has sparked debate. The woman, who was confronted with the words "What you are doing is haram," was allegedly said to have replied, "Who said I am Muslim? I am Jewish." It has not yet been verified by independent sources where and when the footage was recorded.
HE TOLD THE WOMAN IN THE STORE, "WHAT YOU ARE DOING IS HARAM"
In the incident reported to have taken place in France, a woman was alleged to have taken many products in a cardboard box from a store. While the woman was taking the products, a person who noticed her allegedly reacted by saying her behavior was wrong.
According to the shared account, the person who called out to the woman saying "What you are doing is haram" objected to her taking the products. The woman was claimed to have responded to this warning with the words, "Who said I am Muslim? I am Jewish."
While the response the woman allegedly gave by highlighting her religious identity caused debate, no verified information could be obtained about which store the incident occurred in and whether the products in question were stolen.
PROTESTS IN FRANCE TURNED INTO VIOLENCE
On Saturday, October 24, large-scale demonstrations were held across France due to the cost of living, problems in the education system, and insufficient resources allocated to public services.
Thousands of people took to the streets in Lyon, Marseille, Nantes, Grenoble, and other cities, especially the capital Paris. While most of the demonstrations took place peacefully, clashes occurred between protesters and security forces in some areas.
Police teams intervened with tear gas and pressurized water against groups throwing stones and various objects. Some protesters, however, broke store windows and damaged businesses.
ABOUT A THOUSAND PEOPLE DETAINED
According to data announced by the French Ministry of the Interior, about 410,000 people participated in the demonstrations on October 24 across the country. Unions argued that the number of participants was close to 800,000.
While according to official figures 110,000 people participated in the protests in the capital Paris, clashes broke out between security forces and some groups, especially in the hours when the demonstrations ended.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez announced in a statement in the evening that about a thousand people had been detained across the country. Nuñez stated that looting and property damage incidents occurred in some cities, but wider-scale attacks were prevented compared to the previous week.
STORES LOOTED IN LYON
Lyon was one of the cities where the protests were most intense. Despite bans on demonstrations in the city center, about 10,000 people gathered in the streets. Lyon Mayor Grégory Doucet announced that during the incidents five stores were looted, street furniture was destroyed, and fires were set in some locations.
The Rhône Prefecture reported that 36 people were detained in the city and 22 people were injured, 18 of them security personnel. The Prefecture also announced that three businesses were damaged.
PROTESTERS CLASHED WITH POLICE IN NANTES
Clashes also occurred between protesters and police teams in Nantes. Security forces blocking groups trying to advance toward the city center intervened against the protesters with pressurized water and tear gas.
In incidents where some protesters threw chairs and various objects at police, stores were also targeted. A jeweler's window was broken, and looting was reported at another business. Due to incidents in the city, 41 people were detained by the evening.
SUPERMARKET LOOTED IN GRENOBLE, CURFEW IMPOSED
Violent incidents also occurred in protests held in Grenoble. According to the Prefecture's statement, some groups attacked businesses during demonstrations attended by about 10,000 people. In incidents where a supermarket and restaurant were damaged, some products were looted. In clashes between security forces and protesters, eight police officers and seven protesters were injured.
After the incidents, a curfew was imposed in some parts of Grenoble city center from 18:00 until 06:00 the next morning.
70,000 POLICE AND GENDARMES DEPLOYED
The French government deployed about 70,000 police officers and gendarmes across the country on October 24 to prevent a repeat of the large-scale looting and violence during the October 17 demonstrations.
In major cities such as Paris, Lyon, Bordeaux, and Marseille, many shopkeepers covered their storefronts with wooden boards to protect their stores. Some businesses lowered their shutters before the protests began.
As part of security measures, demonstrations were banned in some areas, while security forces were deployed at critical points with armored vehicles and special intervention teams.
TENSION CONTINUES IN FRANCE
Demonstrations that began against the cost of living expanded with demands such as shortcomings in the education system, public services, and income inequality. After protests attended by hundreds of thousands of people across France, debates continue over the government's security policies and the protesters' demands.
Meanwhile, it has not yet been verified whether the footage of the woman alleged to have taken products from the store was recorded during the October 24 protests. The woman's identity, the city where the incident occurred, and whether any action was taken against her are also unknown.