President Macron accuses Trump of disinformation about protests — The Guardian
French President Emmanuel Macron, during a visit to Qatar, said that Donald Trump and other foreign leaders were making comments about street unrest in France that were “as unacceptable as they are stupid.” The French president said that manipulative information has been spreading following Saturday’s unrest, The Guardian reports.
Macron’s statement in Doha
Macron initially did not name Trump, but when asked a follow-up question, replied: “Among others.” The US president linked violence in France to “migrants, jihadists and communists” during the campaign ahead of the midterm elections to Congress.
According to Macron, politicians in the midst of election campaigns “in the region or across the Atlantic” are spreading narratives promoted by certain circles and using France for their own political purposes. He also said that AI-generated images depicting scenes that did not occur in France were being circulated.
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Protests and increased security
Last weekend, largely peaceful demonstrations over the cost of living escalated into violence and looting in Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Limoges. In Limoges, the city hall building was set on fire and partially destroyed. The French government acknowledged that it had lost control of the large-scale unrest on Saturday.
The Yellow Vests movement has applied to hold a march in central Paris this coming Saturday. Student groups have planned protests for the same day demanding increased education funding. Macron said that those who try to cause disorder in city centres will be prevented from doing so.
The government promised to significantly strengthen security measures, including deploying additional police forces and possibly military personnel. Partial nighttime curfews introduced on Monday and Tuesday in areas of Paris, Marseille and Lille prone to violent protests and looting helped maintain relative calm. Trade unions also announced nationwide mobilization for November 5.
