Trauma lingers in Montpellier's shops

In the shops of Montpellier's city center, the trauma from the violence on October 17 is still fresh, nearly a week later. The images of the looting remain in people's minds, and some are still counting the damages and struggling with their insurance companies to secure compensation.

Uncertainty about future risks

Many are concerned that similar events could occur again. A café manager, who suffered damage on October 17, has not yet decided whether to open on Saturday, stating that he will tell his team not to come if the risks are too great.

Shop owners prepare for possible unrest

Alain Simon, manager of toy stores Pomme de Reinette and Pomme d'Api in the Écusson area, plans to open normally on Saturday, as he did the previous week, though he says they may close if problems intensify. He believes the difficulties will be less than last week, noting that state services may have taken precautions against new incidents, though he acknowledges that potential altercations cannot be ruled out.

Measures to protect stores increase

Alain Simon has not planned anything special, but he mentions that some of his colleagues have reinforced their curtains and installed wooden boards to seal their shop windows. Merchants who take such measures are making significant financial efforts, he says, but the destruction of stores makes recovery difficult, if not impossible.

Citywide impact of the violence

Laurent Roy, manager of a store and president of the association Montpellier Jeu de Paume, as well as vice-president of the French Federation of Merchant Associations, described how shopfronts are covered with wooden and steel boards, creating an atmosphere akin to a state of siege. He emphasized that such measures are necessary given the level of violence experienced, though uncertainty remains about what could happen.

Increased demand for protective panels

A Hérault company specializing in the installation of wooden panels to protect shop windows has seen a surge in demand, with many calls and requests for quotes. The craftsman is currently on his way to Odysseum, where store managers have asked him to install protective devices. Even areas several kilometers away from the city center, where a demonstration could take place despite a ban by the prefecture, are seeing people barricading themselves.