Emmanuel Macron in Marseille: the president arrived at the degraded town hall on October 17, welcomed by Benoit Payan

After the town hall, the head of state will meet traders, "victims of looters and thugs", according to the Elysée.

A surprise visit. Emmanuel Macron arrived in Marseille (Bouches-du-Rhône), late in the morning, Monday October 26 to witness the "return of republican order" after the violence and looting which punctuated the citizen mobilization of October 17. The Head of State goes "to the town hall of Marseille which was affected by the violence of October 17", before meeting "traders" who were "victims of looters and thugs", the Elysée announced to AFP. “He will finally salute and thank the internal security forces who have allowed the return of republican order,” added the presidency.

The town hall vandalized on the sidelines of the mobilization of October 17. Several dozen demonstrators briefly entered the hall of Marseille town hall on Saturday October 17, after breaking down the door and shouting "It's the Revolution, we are taking the Bastille". Demonstrators also broke windows and threw smoke bombs into the Marseille municipal police station, and stores were vandalized.

Benoit Payan calls for “accounts” from the State. The day after the damage, the various left-wing mayor Benoît Payan, requested an "exceptional compensation fund for Marseille traders", in a message on X. Following the visit of the Minister of the Interior, Laurent Nuñez, he estimated the amount of damage at 28 million. “I will be reimbursed to the nearest euro,” he then assured.

Emmanuel Macron criticized after the excesses. The head of state had been personally criticized by the opposition, but also by several figures in his camp, for the management of maintaining order nine days ago and for maintaining his tour in the Gulf at the start of last week. Since then, he has been on the front line, increasing the number of meetings, on maintaining order, then on Friday with the high school unions, and travel.