Apple Closes Seven French Stores Ahead of New Protests

Apple has closed seven of its stores across France today as the country braces for another round of demonstrations, one week after looters targeted two of the company's locations.

The closures cover all three Paris stores: Champs-Élysées, Opéra and Marché Saint-Germain. Apple's website also lists Saturday closures for Bordeaux Sainte-Catherine, Lille, Strasbourg and Aix-en-Provence. French outlet MacGeneration was first to spot the changes.

A precaution after last week's looting

The closures appear to be a precaution to protect employees and property. All seven affected stores have entrances directly onto the street. Apple's stores inside shopping malls are expected to operate normally during the period.

The Lille and Bordeaux stores were looted during the unrest on October 17, when many businesses across France were targeted. The demonstrations concern rising living costs and poor conditions in schools, according to the Associated Press. Hundreds of thousands of people reportedly protested peacefully that day, but violence and looting broke out in several cities.

After the looting, reports emerged of stolen iPhones showing a message saying the devices had been disabled and were being tracked, with instructions to return them to the stores they came from. A video shared by Le Signal purportedly shows the message.

Reopening plans

Apple's website lists Sunday hours of noon to 6 p.m. for the three Paris stores, Bordeaux Sainte-Catherine and Aix-en-Provence. The Lille and Strasbourg stores will stay closed on Sunday and are due to reopen on Monday.

For customers, the practical advice is to check the store page before visiting, since hours may change depending on how the protests develop.