Macron accuses foreign leaders of exploiting French riots

French President Emmanuel Macron has accused foreign leaders of exploiting the riots that erupted across the country on Saturday for electoral purposes. Speaking during a visit to the Middle East, he referred to leaders who are in campaign mode, whether in the region or on the other side of the Atlantic, in an apparent swipe at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump.

Macron stated that the unnamed leaders had been influenced by AI-generated fake videos regarding the riots. Nearly 150 people have been jailed and over 800 brought before courts following unrest in Paris, Lyon, Marseille, and Nice. Footage of clashes between masked rioters and police, along with property destruction and looting, spread widely on social media, prompting the government to admit that police had lost control during the violence triggered by high school student protests.

Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event

Speaking in Doha, the French president noted that there was no visible foreign interference during the events, but rather foreign manipulation of information afterwards, leading to unacceptable and absurd comments from foreign leaders. He criticized claims that France had been invaded by hordes of migrants and Islamists, calling them entirely false. Meanwhile, Donald Trump blamed the riots on mass immigration, urging France to close its borders before it is too late.

"For me, there is no visible foreign interference in the events that took place. On the other hand, there was foreign manipulation of information afterwards."

Emmanuel Macron

According to a Financial Times report, EU regulators are examining potential foreign online interference surrounding the French riots. Security officials indicated that pro-Russian and far-right social media accounts spread violent videos to sow chaos, with Iran and Algeria also suspected of involvement given France's strong military support for Ukraine and historical tensions.