PARIS — Demand for tear gas sprays is surging in France, as shop owners hit by rioting and looting buy protective equipment ahead of protests planned for the weekend. With police unable to provide adequate protection, merchants have decided to guard their stores themselves.
Gun shops in central Paris have seen a sharp rise in customers looking for tear gas sprays, Britain's The Times reported on the 24th. The operator of one gun shop in an area hit by looting last weekend said demand had risen to 8 to 10 times its previous level.
Customers are mainly buying tear gas sprays priced at around 50 euros (about 75,000 won) and pistol-type tear gas launchers costing 500 euros (about 750,000 won).
Shop owners are buying such equipment because distrust of the police has spread, The Times said. Rather than relying on police protection, they intend to defend their stores themselves.
In Paris last weekend, there were numerous cases of shop owners confronting looters directly. One Paris resident who runs a sneaker store said they faced off against looters with an iron bar but ultimately had to back down. They said they would respond together with neighboring shop owners this weekend.
The French government also acknowledged that police effectively lost control last weekend as thousands of stores were looted across the country.
Meanwhile, the French government plans to increase its police deployment this weekend by 20% from the previous weekend.
In Paris, large gatherings near major tourist sites and government institutions have been banned. Protests have also been restricted in Marseille, Lyon and Nice.