The key facts
- On the evening of October 17, according to the authors of the posts, six police vans were spotted outside the Jean Trogneux store in Amiens, run by Brigitte Macron's grandnephew.
- Politician Nicolas Dupont-Aignan accused the authorities of selective protection and 'privileges from the past'.
- According to the Federation of Trade and Distribution, around 1,500 stores were damaged in a day of riots, with losses estimated at hundreds of millions of euros; by October 20, 2,513 people had been detained.
Scandal over the security of the Macron family's store
A scandal has erupted in France over the heightened security of a chocolate shop owned by the family of First Lady Brigitte Macron. A video spread on social media showing several police vans parked outside the Jean Trogneux store in Amiens. This was reported by the outlet Jean-Marc Morandini. Some users accuse the authorities of granting privileges to the president's relatives, while others demand an explanation of why law enforcement officers gathered at this particular establishment.
Footage from the wave of protests
The video was filmed on the evening of October 17, when a wave of mass protests and riots swept across France. According to the authors of the posts, as many as six police vans were stationed outside the store, which is run by Brigitte Macron's grandnephew. This attention to a single establishment outraged social media users against the backdrop of reports of looting of stores in other cities.
Criticism from a politician
French politician Nicolas Dupont-Aignan joined the criticism, accusing the authorities of a selective approach to the security of business owners. 'All the other merchants of France have been left to the mercy of fate in the face of looters. This contempt and these privileges from the past are simply unbearable!' he declared.
Scale of the damage from the riots
According to the French Federation of Trade and Distribution, around 1,500 stores were damaged in a single day by the actions of looters. Preliminary business losses were estimated at hundreds of millions of euros. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu ordered the convening of an interdepartmental crisis task force to assess the damage and determine the government's next steps. By October 20, the number of detained participants in the riots had reached 2,513 people, with 67 more remanded in custody as part of criminal proceedings.
Background: attacks on the Trogneux family
Earlier, an attack on Brigitte Macron's grandnephew was reported in May 2023: Jean-Baptiste Trogneux was beaten outside the family confectionery after the president's televised address, after which the police stepped up patrols near the store. In May 2025, another family member, Jean-Alexandre Trogneux, complained of harassment because of his kinship with the presidential couple: according to him, the business was losing orders, employees faced insults, and the stores were attacked during the 'yellow vests' protests.
