French minister estimates around 3 thousand shops affected by unrest

Around 3 thousand retail outlets in France were damaged or looted during protests, Trade and Small Businesses Minister Serge Papin said.

The minister gave the estimate on October 19 during a joint appearance before reporters with Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu and Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez.

Papin described the figure as a provisional assessment. The total covers damaged premises as well as looted shops, rather than exclusively counting cases in which goods were stolen.