Protests in several French cities escalated into looting and vandalism in some areas, affecting esports venues and multiple game stores. Current reports of these incidents are primarily based on videos and posts circulating on social media platforms.
An esports venue in Paris was looted, with a trophy reportedly stolen that Team Vitality had won in a Counter-Strike tournament, along with several professional gaming PCs. Circulating videos appear to show people dismantling related equipment on the street.
A Micromania game store in Nice was also besieged. Videos show the owner attempting to protect the shop before being surrounded by a crowd, with some individuals throwing stones and attacking from behind. A game store in Marseille was also reported to have been damaged.
Sat Elite, an independent collectibles and game store located on Boulevard Voltaire, was also damaged. The store's inventory includes retro games, second-hand consoles, and Japanese special editions. The poster expressed concern over the loss of rare stock accumulated over many years, which could lead to the store's closure. Additionally, large quantities of Pokémon cards were reportedly scattered on the streets of Lille. French authorities estimate that between 500,000 and 800,000 people participated in the protests nationwide.