# Poverty and looting in France: Lola debates a business owner - Original post: https://www.twitter.com/i/status/2112286234156347520 - Source account: [@LemassonOlivier](https://x.com/LemassonOlivier) - Source language: French - Target language: English - Duration: 1:59 - Published: 2026-10-21 - Machine translated. Check the original before quoting. - Canonical URL: https://www.translate.mom/transcript/9GshOKBauiCK/en/poverty-and-looting-in-france-lola-debates-a-business-owner - Original-language version: https://www.translate.mom/transcript/9GshOKBauiCK/fr/pr%C3%A9carit%C3%A9-et-pillages-en-france-lola-face-%C3%A0-une-cheffe-d-entreprise.md ## Transcript [0:00](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/9GshOKBauiCK/en/poverty-and-looting-in-france-lola-debates-a-business-owner) The people in these demonstrations, we have nothing to lose. [0:02](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/9GshOKBauiCK/en/poverty-and-looting-in-france-lola-debates-a-business-owner?t=2) I'm going to tell you about a very personal case. [0:04](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/9GshOKBauiCK/en/poverty-and-looting-in-france-lola-debates-a-business-owner?t=4) No, but I, I— just my personal case. My mother is an English teacher. [0:07](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/9GshOKBauiCK/en/poverty-and-looting-in-france-lola-debates-a-business-owner?t=7) There you go, so she, she, she shapes this country's future. Okay? [0:10](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/9GshOKBauiCK/en/poverty-and-looting-in-france-lola-debates-a-business-owner?t=10) My mother, leaves every morning with a packet of cookies in her bag because she can't afford to pay for school lunch at noon. [0:16](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/9GshOKBauiCK/en/poverty-and-looting-in-france-lola-debates-a-business-owner?t=16) That's the reality for French people today. [0:18](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/9GshOKBauiCK/en/poverty-and-looting-in-france-lola-debates-a-business-owner?t=18) So actually, your shops, that's all very nice, great, okay, the Foot Lockers that were looted, but actually, there is a reality, real suffering among French people. [0:26](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/9GshOKBauiCK/en/poverty-and-looting-in-france-lola-debates-a-business-owner?t=26) And I, would like us to talk about this suffering tonight. [0:28](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/9GshOKBauiCK/en/poverty-and-looting-in-france-lola-debates-a-business-owner?t=28) You did it. Jemima, you— Yes, yes, I'm the only one doing it. [0:30](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/9GshOKBauiCK/en/poverty-and-looting-in-france-lola-debates-a-business-owner?t=30) Lola, I arrived in France, I was nine years old. Okay? [0:34](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/9GshOKBauiCK/en/poverty-and-looting-in-france-lola-debates-a-business-owner?t=34) I left the Democratic Republic of the Congo. [0:37](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/9GshOKBauiCK/en/poverty-and-looting-in-france-lola-debates-a-business-owner?t=37) I was, uh, I had to adapt. When I arrived here, I had the choice, okay, to put up with a situation or to get back on my feet. Today, as a business owner, I regularly employ 130 people. [0:50](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/9GshOKBauiCK/en/poverty-and-looting-in-france-lola-debates-a-business-owner?t=50) You're talking to me about hardship. You're telling me: I'm crying because my shop window is broken. [0:54](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/9GshOKBauiCK/en/poverty-and-looting-in-france-lola-debates-a-business-owner?t=54) But this is my life, Lola. This is my life. I have children. [1:00](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/9GshOKBauiCK/en/poverty-and-looting-in-france-lola-debates-a-business-owner?t=60) But how lucky— No, but how lucky— No, but how lucky I am, how lucky we are to have had, to have had our businesses smashed, to, to, to, to have to, well, to, to, to have to pick up— Wait, let her speak, let her speak. [1:13](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/9GshOKBauiCK/en/poverty-and-looting-in-france-lola-debates-a-business-owner?t=73) Let her speak, let her speak. No, but we, we, today we have to recover our employees. [1:17](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/9GshOKBauiCK/en/poverty-and-looting-in-france-lola-debates-a-business-owner?t=77) I have employees who, who, who are terrified. [1:20](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/9GshOKBauiCK/en/poverty-and-looting-in-france-lola-debates-a-business-owner?t=80) What— What answer? What, what answer can I give them? [1:23](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/9GshOKBauiCK/en/poverty-and-looting-in-france-lola-debates-a-business-owner?t=83) What do we tell them? Oh, yeah, no, but it’s— No, but it’s no big deal. [1:27](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/9GshOKBauiCK/en/poverty-and-looting-in-france-lola-debates-a-business-owner?t=87) The compan— I mean, the company— Wait, Jemima, you arrived, you arrived... Wait, wait. [1:31](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/9GshOKBauiCK/en/poverty-and-looting-in-france-lola-debates-a-business-owner?t=91) You arrived in France at nine years old, right? [1:33](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/9GshOKBauiCK/en/poverty-and-looting-in-france-lola-debates-a-business-owner?t=93) Yes, I arrived— Tell us a little about your journey in a few words. [1:37](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/9GshOKBauiCK/en/poverty-and-looting-in-france-lola-debates-a-business-owner?t=97) I arrived in France at nine years old. I lived for three years in ten square meters with my father. [1:42](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/9GshOKBauiCK/en/poverty-and-looting-in-france-lola-debates-a-business-owner?t=102) Okay? I grew up, I studied in Sarcelles. [1:45](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/9GshOKBauiCK/en/poverty-and-looting-in-france-lola-debates-a-business-owner?t=105) I know the suburbs, I know suffering. But what just— But what justifies today that we create the terror in people's lives? What justifies vandalizing ? [1:56](https://www.translate.mom/transcript/9GshOKBauiCK/en/poverty-and-looting-in-france-lola-debates-a-business-owner?t=116) But Lola, I... I have a question for you