Destruction in France: Shluchim Describe Terrifying Scenes
Chabad Houses in Paris, France, were caught up in the centers of violence, and vehicles belonging to the Rebbe’s Shluchim were vandalized. Despite the destruction, the Shluchim emphasized that their communal activities continued as usual • Read More
“When Shabbos ended, the streets looked like a war zone. Everything on the ground had been set on fire—cars, stores and bicycles,” one Shliach recounted.
France is recovering from days of intense clashes and destruction after mass protests deteriorated into some of the most severe public disturbances the country has experienced in decades.
According to figures from the French Interior Ministry, more than half a million people took part in approximately 110 protest marches across the country. The demonstrations turned into widespread looting of thousands of businesses and the arrest of approximately 2,400 people.
In Paris, the main center of the violence was around Place de la République and nearby areas, where several Chabad Houses are located.
Rabbi Meir Shlomo Lubecki, the Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach’s Shliach in the city’s Third Arrondissement, told Chabad.org that when Shabbos ended, the streets looked like a war zone.
Community instructions were changed on Shabbos afternoon as tensions escalated near Place de la République. Rabbi Lubetzky and his family remained confined inside their locked building until they were evacuated by car on Motzoei Shabbos.
He said he left with his family for a calmer area. “We drove through every red light on the way. Everyone was doing it, because it was simply too dangerous to stop,” he recounted.
Rabbi Moshe Cohen, the Rebbe’s Shliach in the 11th Arrondissement, also found himself in the middle of the chaos after groups of rioters clashed with security forces in the area. His car, which had been parked on the street, was set on fire from the inside and completely destroyed.
Despite the destruction and fear, the Chabad Houses returned to their regular schedule of activities as early as Sunday morning, holding prayer services and welcoming children to their institutions.
The Shluchim noted that the unrest was not specifically directed at Jews as an antisemitic attack, but rather reflected a broader breakdown of public order. They continue to assist business owners whose properties were damaged and provide support to members of the community.
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