Protests over the rising cost of living and worsening conditions in schools swept across France on October 17. During the unrest in Nice, Pierre, an employee at the Micromania video game store, tried to stop looters from entering the premises. Footage of him defending the shop quickly spread across social media.
Despite Pierre’s efforts, the store was eventually looted. He was struck in the face by objects thrown during the attack, while one video shows him being knocked to the ground as he attempts to chase the looters away.
«At one point, I just stood in front to keep people from getting inside. That’s all», — Pierre told ICI.
The employee admitted that he was still struggling to process what had happened.
«I can’t quite process what happened. “That might come a bit later, once the dust has settled. I don’t think I should have done it, honestly. It was foolish. But in the moment, that’s what I did», — he said.
Following the incident, Pierre received dozens of supportive messages on social media. Although he appreciated the encouragement, he stressed that the looting should not overshadow the underlying reasons for the protests, which reflect genuine problems faced by working people.
«It’s very kind of them to offer their support, to me, to all the shopkeepers, and to everyone else. We shouldn't forget that this kind of behavior is the exception, not the rule. Throughout the rest of the march, things went quite well. There are a few 'bad apples,' but they don't represent the majority», — he said.
Other businesses, including JD Sports, Decathlon, and Foot Locker, were also affected by the unrest. A total of 15 businesses sustained damage, and 85 people were taken into police custody, including 40 minors.
A fundraiser has been launched to help the Micromania store in Nice recover from the incident. It had raised just over €6,000 at the time of writing. The campaign states that the manager of the Micromania Jean Medecin branch was attacked by vandals while bravely trying to defend the store.
«Behind every store, there are passionate people who dedicate themselves daily to welcoming us, advising us and sharing with us their love of video games. Today, it’s our turn to show him that the community is here to support him through this difficult time», — the fundraiser reads.
It remains unclear whether the money raised will go directly to Pierre or be used to repair the store.
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