KUALA LUMPUR: A Malaysian caught in Paris riots yesterday recounted tense moments when a mob of rioters left him trapped in traffic.
Ozil Zainal, in a post on Threads, said he was driving into Paris after finding that traffic heading into the city was relatively light.
"While driving along a road, all vehicles suddenly stopped as rioters passed through the area.
"The other drivers and I could not move. We were trapped with no way out on either side.
"We had to wait until the situation gradually calmed down and traffic began to flow again. Security personnel, including firefighters and ambulances, were seen rushing to the scene of the riots," said Ozil, adding that the riots had destroyed a lot of public property.
Another Malaysian who happened to be in Paris also shared her tense experience while shopping at a luxury brand boutique.
In a post on Threads, Lili Abroad said she was thankful that she had managed to leave the riot-hit area quickly before the situation worsened.
"When I was in LV (Louis Vuitton boutique), the doors of the premises were locked and several other boutiques also closed their doors," she said.
She said she had received more information about the demonstration from her sources and had started shopping earlier.
"The riots were estimated to have started at 5pm," said Lili, who has since left for southern France for other matters.
Meanwhile, Mohd Khairul Razikin, who is based in Limoges, France, said in a Threads post that he was saddened to learn that an iconic building in the city had also been targeted in yesterday's riots.
He said the Hôtel de Ville de Limoges, about five minutes from his home, had been destroyed by fire.
"This building has stood magnificently since 1883. It is sad to see what has happened today," he said.
A wave of riots and mass protests has swept several European countries since September, with demonstrations escalating in major cities, including Paris and Milan, Italy, last Saturday (local time).
The unrest is believed to have been triggered by a combination of grievances, particularly over student welfare, declining public services and the rising cost of living.
The riots sparked some of the worst violence in France in decades.
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