Paris Unrest Takes Violent Turn as Husband Is Attacked by Rioters
Andrew Powell · Oct 21, 2026 · 2 min read
A woman in France is describing the terrifying moment her husband was beaten by a mob of rioters in central Paris after he rushed to help a friend who was being attacked.
According to Fox News, Almudena Garcia told "America's Newsroom" on Wednesday that she and her husband were preparing to leave the area when they heard screaming.
When they turned around, they saw a friend being assaulted by several people.
Her husband immediately ran toward the group to help.
"It was like a horror movie. I've never experienced a fear like that before," Garcia said.
According to Garcia, the situation escalated within seconds. What began as an attack involving roughly five people quickly grew as more individuals arrived and turned their attention toward her husband.
"There were five at the beginning and four or five more just arrived in two seconds, so I just saw my husband being beat up by 10 individuals," she told Fox News.
Garcia said she was unable to stop the attackers and began screaming for help as the beating continued. She feared her husband could suffer severe injuries or even be killed.
"I was panicking, and I was asking for help," she said.
Two waiters at a nearby restaurant eventually stepped in and pulled Garcia's husband inside, attempting to get him away from the attackers. The situation remained dangerous, however, as several members of the group followed him into the restaurant and continued the assault.
The waiters were eventually able to force the rioters out, Garcia said. When she entered the restaurant, she found her husband covered in blood.
"Thanks to the waiters, they could finally get them [the rioters] out ... and I got into the restaurant, and I just saw my husband all covered in blood ... It was very, very scary," she said.
The attack occurred as France has faced weeks of unrest that began with concerns over poor school conditions before expanding to protests over rising living costs. Some demonstrations have descended into violence, including attacks on police, looting and damage to public buildings.
Paris has been among the areas affected, with social media videos appearing to show groups damaging property in the capital and other French cities.
Violence has eased since authorities imposed curfews in parts of Paris and other areas affected by the unrest. French authorities are also preparing for additional demonstrations scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 24.