Riots in France leave a hefty bill of damages

PARIS - A week after the start of the riots in France triggered by the death of a teenager of North African descent, killed on June 27 by a policeman, the government estimates that 1,105 buildings have been burnt down or damaged.

Here is a detailed damage report:

Police stations and town halls targeted

The French Interior Ministry has recorded 269 attacks on police stations, gendarmerie brigades and municipal police stations, according to a count stopped at 5:30 a.m. Tuesday.
The Paris region has counted attacks against 36 municipal police stations, in addition to 18 town halls or town hall annexes, a crèche, a gymnasium, two neighbourhood houses, three cultural centers and two media libraries.

Significant damage in around sixty schools, high schools spared

“Sixty establishments suffered significant damage, with for example the start of fires”, of which “a dozen were destroyed or partially destroyed”, according to the Minister of National Education Pap Ndiaye.

More broadly, the ministry counted degradations in 243 establishments. At present, “we are talking about tens of millions of euros” of damage, estimated Mr. Ndiaye.

80 post offices closed

Nearly 80 post offices “could not reopen due to destruction or risks for the staff and customers”, reported La Poste, with “sometimes” “very significant” damage, since “some establishments were set on fire resulting in the destruction of the letters and parcels.”

Of the 7,000 post offices, 150 were affected and 80 La Banque Postale ATMs “destroyed.”

A thousand businesses affected

More than 1,000 businesses were either vandalised, attacked or set on fire, according to the Ministry of the Economy.

About thirty food businesses in particular burned down and “a few dozen clothing stores were looted.”

Twenty sports halls linked to brands have been affected and have not reopened, while the census is underway for the independents. 60 sports equipment shops were looted.

A dozen DIY stores were affected, as were “a few dozen” fast food establishments.

The main targets remain for the moment the tobacconists: 436 tobacconists were affected, of which "three quarters were looted and 10% completely destroyed", specified the ministry. The Confederation of tobacconists estimates the cost of damage at more than 15 million euros.

370 bank branches targeted

According to the French Banking Federation (FBF), 370 branches were affected, including 40% in Île-de-France (Paris region). Among these, “80 were very badly damaged, even destroyed”, specifies a spokesperson for the FBF.

39 buses burned and 10 tram stations destroyed

In all, 39 buses and a tram have been burned since June 28, the Île-de-France region told AFP, which quantifies the total damage at 16 million euros.

The Ile-de-France Mobilités operator evokes “at least 20 million euros in damage” for public transport in the region.

5,892 vehicles were set on fire throughout France, according to a count by the Ministry of the Interior stopped at 5:30 a.m. on Tuesday.

What is the overall bill?

According to the president of France Assureurs, Florence Lustman, the 5800 claims for the moment declared by individuals or professionals should "already cost at least 280 million" euros to insurers, while "full" of claims have not yet been declared.

The amount of damage for companies alone has been assessed at "more than a billion euros" by the president of Medef Geoffroy Roux de Bézieux.