On Tuesday, in an insurance agency in the center, hooded radical activists, on the sidelines of the demonstration, violently attacked the shop.
"It's an assault, they see two frightened women inside and it doesn't even stop them! I was called a capitalist, I earn 1.400 euros a month", confided an employee, preferring not to give her name. .
"We have testimonies of extremely violent attacks and attacks on employees and businesses. We understand the fear that torments them," Didier Le Bougeant, deputy mayor in charge of commerce, told AFP.
Since the first day of mobilization in January against the bill, the scenario has repeated itself in the Breton capital. The procession of the inter-union unfolds smoothly and towards the end of the demonstration radical activists provoke the police who respond with tear gas.
Often follow urban guerrilla actions that can last several hours, with barricades, broken windows, burned cars, multiple tags and trash fires.
A scene on March 11 particularly traumatized Rennes merchants: a Crazy Republic clothing store was looted. A scene that repeated itself in a K Way store.
"The videos are impressive. The atmosphere is oppressive", recognizes Maxime Somson, president of the Umih of cafe owners in Ille-et-Vilaine. "Traders are freaked out, especially women," continues the bistro owner, who had to close his cafe for two Thursdays.
In the city centre, a very large number of shops are protected by screwed wooden panels, which were then covered with anti-capitalist or anti-police tags: banks and real estate agencies, but also travel agencies, clothes or post office.
"We're all afraid of having our shops smashed. When I saw the looting of Crazy Republic, I cried. There's a real feeling of being fed up," explains Raphaëlle, who works in a clothing store. .
"At closing I remove the prices of the clothes, because if they see a jacket at 300 euros ... And we become paranoid: I scan Instagram for ultra-left groups" to find out what actions they will take .
Four place settings
In another ready-to-wear store, the manager, asking to remain anonymous, confides his anguish at seeing "his store looted". Thus, on Tuesday, he preferred to close shop.
"There's no point in opening, customers don't want to come to town," he said. "We are a notch above the era of yellow vests: it was especially the banks, there everyone can be targeted".
Jeweler for forty years, Kristina Monroy also shares her "anguish" on days of demonstrations when the neighborhood is invaded by tear gas. "I pull my old grid and I wait".
Place Sainte-Anne, the heart of student life, the atmosphere is gloomy among restaurateurs and customers are scarce.
"Last night, I made four covers, whereas normally it's about sixty", sighs Pierre Lansquet, director of the Sainte-Anne crêperie.
"We are 50% less in turnover for March," he adds, saying he understands the "discontent" against the reform but expresses his incomprehension "in the face of the thugs".
A little further, the historic carousel is closed every day of mobilization. "We know that there will be no children and no family. As soon as there is a demonstration, we close", assures Régis Masclet, the owner.
"In Rennes, since the demonstrations against the labor law (in 2016, editor's note) the evil is deep", cowardly, bitter, another trader who prefers to remain anonymous.