Macron rebukes foreign leaders over claims about France’s unrest

French President Emmanuel Macron criticised foreign leaders on 21 October for their comments about violence on the sidelines of protests in France, saying in Doha that manipulated information had prompted ‘unacceptable and even stupid comments’. His response followed claims abroad that portrayed the unrest as driven by migrants and Islamists, a description Macron rejected.

Macron told reporters in the Qatari capital that there had been ‘foreign manipulation of information’. He also said some leaders had been influenced by fake videos generated by artificial intelligence about the riots. The reports did not identify the videos he meant or establish whether particular leaders had seen them.

Macron’s response to Trump’s claims

Macron said Trump was among political leaders campaigning ‘off of France’s back’, according to Politico. AFP described the remarks as an apparent swipe at both Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Macron did not name either leader in the statement quoted by AFP.

Protests and violence in French cities

The unrest began on 17 October alongside nationwide protests over the rising cost of living, AFP reported. Politico said hundreds of thousands of people demonstrated peacefully over living costs and school conditions. Violence elsewhere included fires at public buildings, looting of stores and clashes with riot police. Keeping those events distinct matters to Macron’s objection to sweeping descriptions of the protesters and the unrest.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot also challenged foreign commentary on the events. Politico reported that he offered to help other countries understand the situation so they would not spread or relay false information. He urged leaders commenting on French events for electoral purposes, or to harm France, to show restraint.