In the northern French town of Haubourdin, a wave of vandalism and looting has left local community organizations reeling after groups of young people ransacked their facilities. The attacks, which occurred in late September, have caused an estimated €100,000 in damages and destroyed irreplaceable items.
A Community in Shock
The CG Haubourdin football club was one of the primary targets. Club president Clémentine Buchet described the scene as “unrecognizable.”
“They devastated everything, broke everything they couldn’t steal,” she said. “Things like the overhead projector and the TV were smashed.”
Video footage from September 30 shows a group of youths forcing their way into the club, with some seen looting the contents of a refrigerator. For the club’s 400 members, the loss goes beyond material goods.
“It’s not just furniture, it’s also memories that have gone up in smoke,” Buchet explained. “We won all these trophies, we had commemorative jerseys that are gone, and all of that can never be replaced.”
Senior Citizens’ Club Targeted
The destruction was not limited to the football club. A neighboring senior citizens’ club, which used the space for board games, was also hit. The facility’s heating system and fire alarm were damaged, and the club can no longer meet.
“This is our life,” said Anita Lombard, president of the Beaupré senior club. “On Thursdays, members tell me, ‘If you don’t open the club, I won’t see anyone.’ It’s not possible. We can’t imagine that young people could do this because they too have a mother, so they have a grandmother.”
Images from the scene show stolen furniture being burned, with blackened pavement still bearing the scars of the fires.
Town Officials Respond
Local authorities are now grappling with the aftermath. Sébastien Degardin, the town’s deputy mayor in charge of security, outlined a two-pronged response.
“Initially, the matter will be settled with the insurance companies, and then the justice system will do its job to potentially make the parents pay,” Degardin stated. “This seems like a viable solution since everyone must assume their responsibilities in this type of situation.”
The incident comes amid broader unrest in the region. Like other high schools in the Nord and Pas-de-Calais departments, the lycée in Haubourdin will remain closed on Monday, October 5.
- Estimated damages: €100,000
- Affected organizations: CG Haubourdin football club, Beaupré senior citizens’ club
- Football club members affected: 400
- Local high school closed on October 5
