French Riots: Chinese-Owned Shop Destroyed by 12-Year-Old Looter, Owner Beaten
SingTao · 2 SOURCESabout 3 hours ago3 MIN
Summary
A violent wave of riots swept across France on Saturday, October 17, 2026, sparked by soaring cost of living, and quickly descended into widespread looting and destruction. In Paris's 10th arrondissement, a 50-year-old second-generation Chinese business owner identified as Aline Li found herself at the center of the chaos when a mob attacked her combined restaurant and tobacco shop, La Barrique, located near Place de la République. In a devastating half-hour rampage, the attackers—led by a mere 12-year-old child—systematically looted her premises of cash, cigarettes, lottery tickets, and alcohol before destroying everything else and setting the establishment ablaze. Aline was beaten unconscious during the attack, suffering serious injuries including severe bruising around her right eye and a gash to her forehead requiring stitches. The attackers callously documented their violence while laughing, adding to the trauma of a business owner who expressed bewilderment at being targeted, stating she had opened her shop to serve customers and had harmed no one.
Key Points
- Aline Li, 50, purchased La Barrique seven years ago from an elderly Algerian merchant and operated the combined restaurant and tobacco shop near Place de la République in Paris's 10th arrondissement
- At approximately 2:30 PM on October 17, Aline and her husband barricaded themselves inside the shop, but 6-7 rioters pried open the metal shutters and shattered the windows to gain entry
- Attackers shouted "Tobacco, tobacco" while stuffing cigarettes, lottery scratch cards, alcohol, and kitchen supplies into large bags, destroying whatever they could not carry away
- Aline was beaten with what appeared to be an iron bar, lost consciousness, and had her and her husband's mobile phones stolen; she required stitches to her forehead and has severe bruising around her right eye
- Antoine Jumel, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the French National Assembly and Paris 10th district councilor, shared a video interview with Aline on social media platform X, highlighting her plight and calling for action against the security crisis
Why It Matters
The attack on Aline Li exposes the alarming involvement of children as young as 12 in organized looting during riots, raising serious questions about youth radicalization and the breakdown of social order. For Hong Kong readers who maintain significant economic and cultural ties with France—particularly through the business community—the incident underscores how political instability can directly threaten diaspora entrepreneurs and their livelihoods abroad.
The attack on Aline Li exposes the alarming involvement of children as young as 12 in organized looting during riots, raising serious questions about youth radicalization and the breakdown of social order. For Hong Kong readers who maintain significant economic and cultural ties with France—particularly through the business community—the incident underscores how political instability can directly threaten diaspora entrepreneurs and their livelihoods abroad.