Heatwave Havoc: French Shoppers Brawl Over ACs as Police Fire Tear Gas

A severe heatwave is hammering Europe, and France has recorded its highest temperature in history with over a thousand deaths. This deadly climate shift has driven the French public into a total frenzy to secure air conditioners. Hundreds of people flooded into Lidl supermarkets in and around Paris on Thursday (July 2) to snap up discounted units, sparking physical conflicts and brawls over the cooling appliances.

Large crowds waited outside the supermarkets before opening hours, according to videos circulating online. The mob rushed inside the moment the doors opened, trampling over each other and damaging the front doors of some branches. Physical altercations erupted as some customers threw punches to snatch air conditioners from others, leaving people wrestling on the floor and forcing the police to step in to restore order.

Hundreds of people flooded into Lidl supermarkets in and around Paris on Thursday (July 2) to snap up discounted air conditioners.

France is bracing for a new wave of extreme heat starting on July 3, based on multiple foreign media reports. The French supermarket chain Lidl capitalized on the weather by launching a promotional campaign for air conditioners on July 2. The deal was incredibly attractive with some entry-level models priced as low as 179 euros (around 1,600 HKD) compared to 1,200 euros elsewhere, and the supermarket triggered a massive buying frenzy by claiming a nationwide supply of 200,000 fans and portable air conditioners.

Eager consumers swarmed Lidl supermarkets in Paris and its surrounding areas that day. Some people had queued overnight at a branch in Nanterre, and massive crowds rushed inside the moment it opened. The mad dash broke the store doors, and several online videos show customers grappling on the ground while screaming and crying during the scuffles over merchandise.

Customers clash while fighting over air conditioners.

One netizen visited two stores and noted that the first had only one unit left while the second was completely sold out. This severe shortage suggests the total supply in Paris is probably less than 100 units. Another person described a similar crisis in the 14th arrondissement of Paris, where over 400 people showed up for only two units, resulting in deployed tear gas and women being knocked to the ground.

Many people came to blows because the units are in high demand and short supply

About 200 people lined up outside one branch for over an hour, according to a customer. The furious crowd found just two air conditioning units available for sale upon entering, and a fierce battle for the appliances ensued. The desperation mirrors a wider social panic, with some netizens on social media describing the chaotic scrambling scenes as completely barbaric.

A Lidl supermarket in the town of Saint-Germain-lès-Corbeil in the Essonne department south of Paris was also packed to the brim. The sudden influx of 200 cars overwhelmed local infrastructure and led to severe traffic jams on surrounding roads.

Other major retailers are seeing a similar explosion in demand. Alexandre Bompard, the CEO of Carrefour, recently stated that his company had sold at least 30,000 fans and air conditioners as of June 22. This massive surge represents 1,000 times their usual daily sales volume, exposing a frantic nationwide scramble to beat the heat.

Deep Throat

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The midterms are less than three months away. A new Financial Times poll, out August 16, shows over 53% of registered voters, among them 25% were Republicans, say their finances have worsened since Trump returned to the White House January last year.

55% disapprove of Trump's performance. Among them 20% are Republicans.

One factor is the US-Iran war and other issues that keep pushing up fuel prices and other consumer costs.

The poll also shows Democrats with a clear advantage. While 45% favor Republicans, 51% of Americans say they'll vote for a Democratic candidate in the November midterms.

On jobs and the economy, voters trust Democrats more than Republicans.

For Trump and the Republican Party, this is a blaring alarm. Republicans believe it was voter trust on these issues that powered Trump’s 2024 victory. That trust is now eroding.

The nonpartisan London-based firm Focaldata conducted the poll from August 7 to 10, surveying 1,913 registered voters.

The results are stark: 53% of registered voters say their living conditions have worsened under Trump. That includes nearly 57% of independents and almost a quarter of Republicans.

Nearly two-thirds of respondents say the US economy is on the wrong track.

53% say their living conditions have worsened under Trump. Nearly two-thirds say the economy is on the wrong track.

Trump's Approval Tanks

Voters are handing Democrats the advantage on the issues that hit kitchen tables hardest: inflation, cost of living, jobs, and the economy. It's a brutal verdict on Trump's economic stewardship.

And Trump's numbers on inflation and cost of living? Abysmal. A full 64% disapprove. That includes nearly 70% of independents and about a third of his own Republicans.

The reality is stark. US inflation hit 3.4% in July.

High prices are forcing millions of Americans to slash spending. Consumer confidence has cratered, sinking near historic lows.

And wages fell in July, according to US government data.

Trump's overall approval is just as grim. A full 55% of Americans disapprove of his performance. That includes nearly one in five Republicans.

Here's a flashing red light for the White House: Trump's net approval among Republicans (the share satisfied minus those opposed) has plunged 8 points in just one month.

Midterm Reckoning and the War Factor

Trump won't be on the ballot in November. But the midterms are widely seen as a national referendum on his leadership.

Democrats need to win just four seats in the Senate and four in the House to seize control of Congress next year.

If they pull it off, they can block any partisan legislation for the next two years. That would gut the Republican agenda, leaving it virtually powerless except through executive actions by the president and his cabinet.

According to reports, polls have been telling a consistent story for months: Democrats are likely to retake the House. The Senate? That's a tougher climb.

A string of recent polls shows Democrats could retake the House.

And then there's the war. A Reuters survey found Americans' support for a war with Iran is extremely low. The vast majority believe Trump has failed to clarify his goals or strategy.