# Marseille shopkeeper recounts looting of her store - Original post: https://www.twitter.com/i/status/2112158988502438271 - Source account: [@JeanMessiha](https://x.com/JeanMessiha) - Source language: French - Target language: English - Duration: 4:31 - Published: 2026-10-19 - Machine translated. Check the original before quoting. - Canonical URL: https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store - Original-language version: https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/fr/marseille-une-commer%C3%A7ante-raconte-le-pillage-de-sa-boutique.md ## Transcript [0:00](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store) What happened to you? Me, let's say I'll be in the best position to, to say what happened on Saturday. [0:07](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store?t=7) Uh, first of all, let's say I'm on the street, in Marseille's Golden Square. [0:11](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store?t=11) So, I'm actually on Rue de Grignan, the street where Rolex, Hermès and Louis Vuitton were. That's where I was located. [0:18](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store?t=18) Me, I took the initiative not to open because I lived through 2023. [0:21](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store?t=21) So, I knew what had happened. Well, I had made it through 2023. [0:26](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store?t=26) Uh, this time I decided not to open. I took the initiative. [0:29](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store?t=29) And then, when I saw that my alarms had gone off, and that I looked at my cameras with my husband and everything, well, it was, it's still the work of an entire lifetime. I decided to go down with my family, to try to, to, to defend my business. [0:43](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store?t=43) I arrived out front. Besides, I sent videos to your department. [0:46](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store?t=46) In fact, in the first video, you can see that they broke into my, my store. You can see the police officers who arrested, uh, some, well, some individuals and took them away, but they left my store wide open. [0:57](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store?t=57) And in the second video, well, you can see everyone helping themselves. [1:01](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store?t=61) When I arrived, actually, on the street, because I don't live in Marseille, I live in the neighboring municipality, uh, by the time I got there, well, I, I caught up with some people. I was hit by a man who punched me in the face. I have 15 days of temporary incapacity. I was manhandled. [1:16](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store?t=76) People defended me, there in the street, they defended me. [1:20](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store?t=80) I tried to get some belongings back. I got back maybe four boxes. [1:23](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store?t=83) Uh, we tried to defend the shop, but I was in a good position. [1:27](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store?t=87) So, I forgot about the gentleman with you. [1:30](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store?t=90) I’m going to explain what really happened. [1:32](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store?t=92) You weren’t in town, sir. You didn’t see what I saw. [1:35](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store?t=95) I lived through a civil war. The thieves were armed. [1:39](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store?t=99) The thieves— Armed with what? They had knives and box cutters. Uh, young people fought in front of my shop over Hermès and Vuitton bags. Thieves stole from thieves. [1:48](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store?t=108) We were surrounded on all sides to finish off the shop. [1:52](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store?t=112) We stood in front, we barricaded it with what I found inside. [1:56](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store?t=116) Uh, uh— You can’t say there were two or three hundred people. [2:00](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store?t=120) That's not true. There were thousands of people. [2:02](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store?t=122) I was outside my shop from 2:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. [2:06](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store?t=126) I didn't see any, any, any police presence. No one. [2:10](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store?t=130) At 6 p.m., 20 riot police came by. Exactly 20 riot police. [2:13](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store?t=133) I've got the videos, I've got everything. They came down the street, trying to push them back. [2:17](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store?t=137) But what are 20 of them going to do? No one. [2:19](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store?t=139) And I'll tell you something even better, because this is the icing on the cake, it's that my shop is next to the Marseille courthouse. [2:26](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store?t=146) And the courthouse, well, went into lockdown. They said, "We can't intervene." [2:30](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store?t=150) There you go. That is, I'm between the courthouse and all the luxury stores. That is, even at the courthouse, no one could intervene. [2:36](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store?t=156) They were in lockdown. There you go. You felt completely abandoned, basically. [2:41](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store?t=161) No, no, we were abandoned. I was doing security with my husband, his friends, my nephews. We tried to push them back and, out of fear, I was afraid it would end in tragedy, especially. [2:50](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store?t=170) Yes, I understand. If it ends in tragedy, we'll be the ones implicated. [2:53](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store?t=173) That's the story. Well, that's it. Yes, Fatma. Eric. [2:56](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store?t=176) Now, what's unfortunate, what I want to say on air— Yes. [2:59](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store?t=179) It's unfortunate. I'm of the Muslim faith. [3:02](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store?t=182) Uh, I'm a moderately observant Muslim, I'm discreet. [3:05](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store?t=185) A lot of people know me. It's unfortunate, but 80 percent, it's my community. And I'm ashamed to say it because I'd like to tell them my story. I come from the northern neighborhoods of the 15th, I fought my way up, I worked outside Marseille, I earned my money. [3:18](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store?t=198) All that is my savings, actually. It's my savings, it's my life. [3:22](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store?t=202) I didn't just get that money. It wasn't growing on trees. [3:25](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store?t=205) I got up, I have a child, I have, I have a thirteen-year-old who is traumatized, who sees me crying every day. [3:30](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store?t=210) He doesn't know what to say to me anymore. [3:32](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store?t=212) I keep saying, "It's okay, my son, it's material things, it's..." equipment. But, well, it's equipment, but then, I, I called the insurance assistance to tell you on Saturday. [3:40](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store?t=220) They told me, “No, for the moment, manage on your own.” [3:44](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store?t=224) And this morning, I was just told, uh, so I hired a security company for 48 hours. The City came to board up my store last night at 6:00 p.m. [3:52](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store?t=232) And then, this morning, I was told: "Don't touch anything, don't intervene." [3:55](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store?t=235) That means that, in fact, I'm not doing anything anymore. [3:57](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store?t=237) And anyway, I don't even have the cash flow to start again for the time being. [4:00](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store?t=240) Well, that happened fast. I haven't paid for my winter collection. [4:02](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store?t=242) I have over 200,000 euros' worth of collection. I don't know what to do anymore. [4:06](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store?t=246) I'm at home, I'm lost. That's it. No assistance, no... [4:10](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store?t=250) Nothing anymore. We're screwed. And I can tell you, for once, well, the mayor of Marseille spoke very well. Yes, yes, I can tell you that. [4:17](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store?t=257) What was said in Paris for them to abandon us? [4:19](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store?t=259) Because there were no police. It's, it's crazy. You can feel— The police weren't there. [4:22](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/3iYsmevnwrdU/en/marseille-shopkeeper-recounts-looting-of-her-store?t=262) Yes, but you can feel— RMC, Les Grandes Gueules.