The Destruction of V.Hive: Why Vandalism Undermines the Fight for Access

Since the protest escalation all across France, many stores, big or small, have been broken into, looted and vandalized. Among them was V.Hive, the Paris headquarters of Team Vitality.

Since its opening in November 2019, V.Hive had served as the official club headquarters, an internet/gaming cafe, a coffee shop, a merchandise store, and a community event space, acting as a central hub for Team Vitality's esports division. But now, it looks very different. After being looted and vandalized by rioters this October, trophies, computer equipment and merchandise were reportedly taken, including what appears to be the StarLadder StarSeries Fall 2026 trophy. Alongside the loss of valuables, there was significant damage to the facility. Glass display windows and storefronts were smashed, and gaming chairs were dragged into the street and burned. All of this damage caused the venue to close indefinitely for repairs and assessment. Fortunately, no staff members, players, or fans were injured during this incident.

Inkoders has always and will always be an organization that advocates for better education and enhanced access to learning equipment (in alignment with our foundational literacy pillar). There is nothing more that we wish for than everyone to have greater access to such resources. However, vandalizing stores and locations with tremendous value to many people around the globe is not a method to achieve such goals. V.Hive is not merely a location on the street, but it represents a rallying point for fans to directly connect with players, rather than a closed-off corporate or gaming facility. Vitality CEO Fabien Devide has said that V.Hive kept its gaming rate at €3.50 an hour despite inflation, so that young people and fans with modest incomes could still play. In a week of protests driven by the cost of living, one of the few places that had held its prices down was destroyed. These are technological advancements that are critical to the evolution in innovation, which Inkoders is a strong supporter of.

We urge those turning to looting and vandalism to stop defacing locations that hold high value, including but not limited to innovation locations. There are many better ways of advocating for expanded access to educational resources.