DOMINANT ANGLE
New Delhi first recalls the images of luxury store looting and smashed windows, and treats the crisis as a spectacular street disorder, with Donald Trump as a commentator.
Dominant angle identified — does not reflect unanimity of this country’s media
KEY POINTS
- 01
According to Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, quoted by the Times of India, 1,200 people were arrested and 150 police officers injured late Saturday.
- 02
The Interior Ministry estimates the mobilization at 550,000 people, the CGT at 800,000 (Times of India).
- 03
Donald Trump claims that France is "burning" and asks it to close its borders, attributing the unrest to immigration (Free Press Journal).
ANALYSIS
New Delhi, October 18, 2026. In the Indian online press, the day of mobilization against the high cost of living is told through its damage. The Times of India headlines with protesters who "loot Hermès, Apple and other luxury stores" in several cities, and describes looters who ravaged luxury boutiques, electronics stores, and supermarkets on Saturday. In Marseille, dozens of businesses were vandalized, including Hermès, according to AFP. In Paris, a store window near the Place de la République was broken, products were thrown at the crowd, phones were thrown from a telecommunications store, and a bar named La Barrique caught fire. In Lille, an Apple Store was visited, according to Socialist Mayor Arnaud Deslandes.
The Free Press Journal, in a text dated Saturday, October 17, details Bordeaux, where Apple and Louis Vuitton were reportedly targeted on Rue Sainte-Catherine, according to Le Parisien, citing AFP. It also lists the public buildings affected: a tourist office set on fire in Lyon, town halls forced open in Marseille and Lille, and the historic city hall of Limoges severely damaged by a fire. Both media outlets highlight the extent of the human and police toll: Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu reported 1,200 arrests and 150 injured police officers late Saturday, while the Ministry of the Interior counted 272 by 3 pm. The Times of India also reports that in Saint-Étienne, a 17-year-old boy lost his right hand.
On the scale of the mobilization, the Indian daily compares two figures: 550,000 protesters according to the Ministry of the Interior, 800,000 according to the CGT. The police used tear gas and water cannons against protesters throwing projectiles and fireworks.
The political dimension is mainly carried by two voices: Emmanuel Macron, who promised on X that there would be judicial consequences for those who vandalized and attacked institutions, and Donald Trump, whom the Free Press Journal quotes in a headline: "Close your Borders". The American president claims that France is "burning" and attributes the unrest to immigration. The Indian account reproduces his statement without comment. The demands for purchasing power are mentioned as the starting point, but the treatment remains focused on the damage, arrests, and viral images, presented in video ("Watch").
SOURCES (2)
- Times of IndiaMEDIUM
- Free Press JournalMEDIUM
