Michele Teboul, a French business owner whose family lost five stores to looters during recent unrest, told Fox News Digital that the upcoming Saturday protest represents a final opportunity for President Emmanuel Macron to stabilize the country. Teboul stated that if authorities fail to act, the situation is "lost for France."
The family's retail operations span Paris, Bordeaux, Lyon, Marseille and Montpellier. While looters ransacked 15 of their locations, Teboul reported that five of the most important stores were completely destroyed. She described how attackers used axes to break through boarding, leaving her sons, who operate the company's brands, facing a difficult recovery. Teboul noted that police protection was insufficient, with officers overwhelmed as large crowds descended on city centers.
Reopening the damaged stores requires meeting specific insurer security standards, a process Teboul estimates will take at least two months. Her family has hired security guards with dogs, and she mentioned hearing that other shopkeepers have obtained weapons or tear gas, though she clarified her sons had not purchased weapons. Teboul stated that the winter season is effectively dead for her business due to the disruption and recovery costs.
Teboul, a former director of CRIF, the umbrella organization representing French Jewish institutions, said many Jews are considering leaving France. She warned that continued disorder could deepen this uncertainty. However, she emphasized that the violence is a national issue affecting the entire population, beyond the Jewish community. "The specific problem of last Saturday is not a problem of Jews," she said.
Regarding the scale of the unrest, Teboul referenced an unverified figure of roughly 30,000 young people in central Marseille. In contrast, French broadcaster BFM reported on its X account that prosecutor estimates placed the number of people ransacking Marseille's city center between 1,800 and 3,000.
The French government has acknowledged failures in its response to the unrest. Teboul accused authorities of mistaking the threat for an ordinary demonstration and failing to provide adequate police protection. She distinguished between students protesting over grievances and those who used the demonstrations as cover to steal street-wear and expensive merchandise. "There were two events on Saturday," she said, explaining that looters took advantage of the large crowds downtown.
Teboul warned that if the government does not restore a sense of security, it may face collapse. She noted that while companies with financial reserves might absorb the disruption, younger businesses face a more difficult path. "We have to feel secure," she said. "We don't feel secure for the moment."