Filipino community in France urged to prepare 72-hour emergency kit amid protests
The Philippine Embassy in Paris released on Tuesday, Nov. 3, an advisory for Philippine citizens in France to heed the French government's call to take necessary emergency precautions amid protests across the country.
"The Philippine Embassy in Paris informs the Filipino community in France that the French authorities have released advisories for the public to prepare a 72-hour emergency kit as part of the French government's routine measures to ensure national resilience and crisis preparedness," the embassy wrote in a statement.
Citing the current protests across France, the embassy asked Filipinos in the country to "take the necessary precautions."
It also reminded the Filipino community to make sure legal documents, such as passports and residence permits, are accessible, and that Filipinos keep some cash in Euros "in case electronic payment systems become unavailable."
Further, the embassy urged Filipinos to keep family communication lines open, establish meeting places, monitor official government alerts, and save the emergency contact details of the embassy, as well as French authorities.
Escalating civil unrest
The movement began in mid-September when groups of high school students in suburban Paris began protesting teacher shortages, poor school facilities, and an unfair university admissions system.
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As the protests spread across the country, other grievances came to light, including low wages, high cost of living, poor response to climate control, and dissatisfaction with the leadership of French president Emmanuel Macron.
Youth-led protests with about 320,000 protesters swept across France for the third consecutive weekend on Saturday, Oct. 31. Mass protests on Oct. 17 devolved into what authorities said were some of France's worst riots, drawing about 550,000 people nationwide. Demonstrations on Oct. 24 had about 410,000 protesters.
While authorities said most protesters marched peacefully, rioters broke into department stores, family-owned groceries, bars, and other small establishments.
In a report by CNN, Macron vowed to hold accountable those who "sought to bring down the Republic" during the violent protests.
'Large-scale' attacks
Compounding the security environment, French authorities are also responding to major disruptions in food supply chains and digital infrastructure.
On Oct. 12, the Paris prosecutor's office reported a "large-scale" cyberattack by hackers against French supermarkets' refrigeration systems. The attack raised the temperature of refrigerators and freezers at hundreds of French supermarkets to up to 50°C overnight, causing fires and food spoilage. By Nov. 2, at least 11 other European countries, including Germany, Romania, the UK, Belgium, Estonia, Ireland, Finland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Sweden also reported similar attacks against their supermarket refrigeration systems.
The hacking underscored "the importance of resilience across the entire supply chain," said Christel Delberghe, director general at European real association Eurocommerce.
According to The Guardian, the Paris prosecutor's office opened a formal investigation into the French attack, with the national cybersecurity agency Ansii leading the probe.
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