Shopkeepers and residents in Paris are increasingly arming themselves with pepper gel self-defense devices amid growing concerns over a resurgence of rioting and looting linked to planned protests this weekend. Gun shops in the city report a significant surge in sales of non-lethal irritant weapons as many feel the police may be unable to safeguard their properties.
Yves Gollety, 71, owner of Armurerie de la Bourse, a central Paris gun shop, said demand for pepper gel products has surged to eight to ten times the usual levels. Shops and businesses in the area were heavily targeted during violent disturbances last weekend, prompting many to take additional security measures. Gollety noted that purchases range from gel canisters costing €50 to €60 to more sophisticated devices like the Guardian Angel—a pistol-shaped irritant weapon made by Swiss manufacturer Piexon, priced around €500. These devices operate by firing a jet of irritant that impairs attackers’ breathing and vision, and can be purchased in France without a permit.
The French government acknowledged a loss of control during last weekend’s unrest, which saw thousands of shops looted across multiple cities in some of the worst street violence France has seen in decades. In response, President Emmanuel Macron announced a ban on what he described as “illegitimate” protests and pledged a stronger deployment of security forces for the coming weekend. Only authorized demonstrations, such as those organized by trade unions, will be allowed. The government has also proposed relocating protests away from commercial areas to better protect businesses.
Macron attributed the violence to radical ultra-left groups and vandals but rejected calls for a state of emergency, calling it unnecessary. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said police presence will increase by 20 percent compared to last weekend. Several major Paris cultural institutions—including the Louvre, Musée d’Orsay, and Musée Picasso—will close on Saturday, and the prominent Art Basel Paris fair announced it would end two days early following police warnings that protesters might target the event. The fair hosts over 200 galleries worldwide and includes works by Picasso and Basquiat.
Authorities have banned large assemblies in tourist-heavy areas like the Champs-Élysées and around government buildings such as the Élysée Palace, the prime minister’s office, and the Senate. At least 11 French cities, including Marseille, Lyon, Nice, Grenoble, Le Havre, and Rouen, have imposed demonstration bans in central districts. Curfews and reductions in public transport services are also in place in some locations, including a shutdown of public transit in Marseille on Saturday to prevent looters from accessing shopping zones.
Meanwhile, thousands of students gathered in Paris after a court overturned a ban on their protest against France’s university admissions system and conditions in schools. Riot police contained the demonstration, preventing it from progressing. Similar student protests occurred in Lyon despite local bans. Last weekend’s unrest also caused significant damage in Limoges, where a fire severely damaged the 19th-century town hall. The mayor has appealed for public donations to aid reconstruction efforts, likening the restoration to the rebuilding of Notre-Dame cathedral after its 2019 fire.
Several business owners have suffered personal injuries during the unrest. Aline Li, a Paris café owner, required stitches after being struck on the head while her establishment was looted and set ablaze, with some assailants reportedly as young as early teens. Gollety highlighted rising concerns about looters targeting residential properties as well, citing incidents where rioters forced entry into apartments where residents were present.
France has a long history of street demonstrations, but the scale and intensity of the recent violence have triggered alarm across the country, prompting a robust state response and increased self-protection measures among civilians and business owners.