I went to Paris to see Céline Dion in memory of my mom. I ended up trapped in an Uber during the riots.
A UK business owner traveling to Paris to attend a Céline Dion concert in memory of her late mother became trapped in an Uber during widespread civil unrest and protests. Amidst massive demonstrations across France, hotel staff warned her of safety risks as rioting erupted in the streets.
Why it matters
Personal narratives of tourists caught in sudden civil unrest illustrate the real-world impact and unpredictability of large-scale public demonstrations abroad.
Rebecca Mac sat on Galeries Lafayette's rooftop terrace on Saturday shortly before she said the unrest began nearby. Courtesy of Rebecca Mac Rebecca Mac traveled from Manchester, UK, to Paris for a Céline Dion concert in memory of her late mother. She said she was caught in traffic near Galeries Lafayette as unrest spread through the city. Mac said hotel staff warned her against going outside, saying she was a "perfect candidate" to get mugged. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Rebecca Mac, who owns Cosmetic Finance Group, a Manchester, UK-based aesthetics finance company, and Mc Aesthetics, a cosmetic clinic group. It has been edited for length and clarity. On Saturday, 110 demonstrations drew 550,000 people nationwide, according to Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez, including 110,000 in Paris. Organizers put the national total at 800,000.
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