We’ve received many messages from concerned loved ones and strangers from around the world who have seen the images of the violence shared online. It’s surreal to walk through parts of the city that were untouched and then see buildings destroyed. While we’re saddened, we saw the city come together to clean up this beautiful home of ours. Paris and its community are strong. We support the message of the student protestors and denounce the destruction by the casseurs.
To be clear, the people destroying buildings and businesses are not the protestors. They are rioters and looters taking advantage of a very important movement and message in France.
Thoughts are welcome in the comments, but we will not tolerate bigotry, racism, lies, or speculation, and will remove comments and accounts that perpetuate harmful narratives.
#Paris #17oct #17Octobre
26 minutes agoshazzmadd
Thank you for your post and the comments here. We are travelling from Aus next Tuesday and staying for 3 weeks in this beautiful city. ❤️❤️❤️ I understand there is a Union led protest scheduled for 5/11 - as we’re staying in the 11th (Jay I’ll be on the lookout for you 🤩🤩), our hotel is less than 1km from Place de la Bastille, might be a good idea for a quiet day.
39 minutes agoriggle_me_this
I’m not worried about my safety, I’m worried about Gare Du Nord closing and not being able to get on the Eurostar back to London for our flight home.
2 hours agoahnebelles
We are tourists from Adelaide, South Australia and departed Paris yesterday after spending 4 nights there. We had been warned to be vigilant on the 17th when we visited a museum earlier that day. We saw the crowds gathering but they appeared peaceful and well organised. It wasn’t until much later in the day we observed that the huge group had changed in appearance, mostly older males, in black, masked and wearing hoodies. Later that evening as we were having dinner in a restaurant around the corner from our hotel, in what we thought was a quiet street. there was suddenly a surge of runners screaming down the street. The police bombed them with tear gas, there was a very loud bang, lots of screaming. especially from those innocent people dining outside. The bomb collided with our building and tear gas seeped through the doors, affecting all of us inside. Those outside were crying and begging to come inside the restaurant. It was a terrifying few minutes. The screaming and tear gas bombing continued well into the night. We walked the streets the next morning and were horrified by the destruction these thugs had caused. We love Paris and are so very sad that this abuse of your beautiful city has taken place.
5 hours agowandertab
We will push through with our trip and we hope the situation will improve. We are ready to adjust our itinerary accordingly. Thank you and please keep us posted!
6 hours agokodachromagnon
If Russia spent half the effort to conquer Ukraine as they are spending on destabilizing the rest of the civilized world, they wouldn’t be getting their asses kicked and humiliated in Ukraine.
6 hours agodenise_mccann_
We’ve had the best weekend in Paris! 3 nights and yes we seen a few things here n there but it didn’t impact our weekend at all. It was all magical! We did get closer than I’d like to teargas etc last night but just walked calmly away and went to the nearest bar for another little glass of wine!
6 hours agoeliflover17
I am visiting Paris on 22th to 25th. Im scared, should I cancel my trip? Is it safe at the tourist areas and Gare de I'EST?
6 hours agojdtirrell
We just left this morning. We’d been there since Thursday. We saw protests, many many students, and some bad actors. The students were energetic, well spoken, and exercising their rights. The casseurs were pretty focused on stealing and lighting trash on fire; we were in areas of unrest and no one turned that violence on us. We also ended up in a tear gas cloud at Chatelet. It was an out of towner mistake to go through there Sunday night at 11pm. A reminder that, as a tourist, you might not have the common sense of a local. But I’d go back. Paris needs some cleaning up now. Place de la République was a mess this morning.
7 hours agocwajr30575
The protesting BS has run its course in France. The French are just fighting each other for a pie that’s gone. There’s nothing left - France is broke.
7 hours agolake_gardener
Protesting is a right but destructive behaviour is not acceptable. I will return to Paris as planned undeterred. My hope is that the criminals are arrested.
8 hours agosteam_cloud
Looting big shops IS part of the protest by the underprivileged who are constantely maintained in poverty at the systemic scale (i concur that small shops should have been avoided). You are not a real french if you do not like revolutions.
8 hours agolionchevy
I will add that when peaceful protests are met with extreme violence from the police and disdain from the government that is supposed to work for us, things can escalate quickly. I feel the rage of all. I feel the frustration of the people and the unfairness of French society. This violence isn’t born of nothing…
8 hours agojulie.pearl.slater
Flying out today Will treat my beloved Paris and all the myriad of small shop owners with the utmost of respect Only concern is about protest called for Saturday? Seems like maybe that would be a day to get out of the city head out to Chantilly do we think trains will be affected? Head out to puce st ouen?
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