Carrefour CEO says 50 of its stores and almost 20 supermarkets were ransacked during riots in France

The CEO of one of France's largest supermarket chains, and among the world's largest retailers, stated that 50 of its stores were targeted by rioters on Saturday.

Alexandre Bompard, who leads Carrefour, France's type of Walmart, took to X on Sunday to condemn the riots and commend his workforce as France reels from general civic unrest and looting.

"Nothing can validate specified violence," Bompard stated on X in French. "Those who assault the activity tools of courageous entrepreneurs and their teams in this way must visage an uncompromising response."

"The Republic must defend its shopkeepers!" he added.

Riots swept throughout France on Saturday following initially peaceful demonstrations against the elevated disbursal of living and deteriorating academy conditions turned violent. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez stated on X that 600 constabulary officers were injured in the fracas and additional than 2,000 group were arrested.

Photos and videos from Paris and another French cities display massive demonstrations, burning cars, and wrecked storefronts.

In his X post, Bompard called the aggression "unacceptable." He stated that, in supplement to Carrefour's stores, concerning 1,500 another shops were damaged in the riots.

"The disbursal of the repairs volition amount to additional than 10 myriad euros, and our shopkeepers need an acceleration of compensation procedures, as in the case of natural disasters," he said.