In October 1988, as rising prices and unrest shook Algiers, long lines formed outside the few bakeries that remained open. A contemporary Los Angeles Times report directly described anxious shoppers waiting to buy bread.
Clashes between young protesters and security forces had closed many businesses. Bread that normally required an ordinary purchase now demanded a search for an open shop and a secure place in line.
Behind the headlines of unrest, people still had to prepare meals for their families. The bakery queue showed how daily life continues even while the surrounding society is violently unsettled.