Apple Closes French Stores Ahead of Further Protests

Seven Apple stores across France are closed on today, as the country prepares for another round of demonstrations a week after looters targeted two of the company's locations. As first spotted by MacGeneration, the affected stores include all three Paris locations: Champs-Élysées, Opéra, and Marché Saint-Germain. Apple's website also lists Saturday closures for Bordeaux Sainte-Catherine, Lille, Strasbourg, and Aix-en-Provence. The closures are likely a precaution to protect employees and stores during the protests. The seven locations have entrances directly onto the street, while Apple's stores inside shopping malls are expected to operate normally during the period. Apple's Lille and Bordeaux stores were looted during the unrest on October 17 unrest. Both were among many businesses targeted across France. The demonstrations concern rising living costs and poor conditions in schools, according to the Associated Press. Hundreds of thousands are said to have protested peacefully on October 17, but violence and looting broke out in several cities. Following the looting, reports emerged of stolen iPhones displaying warnings that they had been disabled and were being tracked, along with instructions to return them to their stores of origin. A video shared by Le Signal purportedly shows the message. The three Paris stores, Bordeaux Sainte-Catherine, and Aix-en-Provence list Sunday opening hours of noon to 6 p.m. Apple's Lille and Strasbourg pages show that those stores will remain closed on Sunday and reopen on Monday. Note: This discussion thread is located in our Political News forum with special rules. Popular StoriesApple Retail Staff Told to Warn Against iPhone Duo Walk-In PurchasesSome Apple retail employees have been told to warn customers against visiting to purchase an iPhone Duo without a pre-order on Friday, October 23. Apple Store employees told MacRumors that they have been advised that there will likely be no iPhone Duo stock available for walk-in purchases on launch day. Staff have been instructed to discourage customers without pre-orders from coming in...Apple Stores Receive 'Do Not Open' Boxes Ahead of Smart Home Products LaunchApple Stores around the world are preparing to install new product presentations starting on Thursday, October 8. Apple retail stores received confidential boxes earlier this week featuring "Do Not Open Until October 8" stickers on them. They are believed to contain new visual merchandise, which enables workers to update labels, graphics, and product layouts in stores around the release of...Giant iPhone Duo Installations Spotted at Apple Fifth AvenueApple is preparing what appear to be giant iPhone Duo displays outside its Fifth Avenue store in New York ahead of the device's launch on Friday, October 23. Photos from users on X show the structures on the plaza beside the glass cube. Their designs are hidden by wrapping and black covers, so it remains unclear exactly how Apple will present the device. October 21, 2026 The outdoor...