Macron Criticizes Foreign Leaders for 'Stupid Comments' Amid French Riots

French President Emmanuel Macron has sharply criticized foreign leaders for making what he described as "stupid comments" regarding the recent wave of unrest and violence across France. The nation has experienced significant rioting and looting tied to protests against living costs and educational conditions.

Macron's remarks came days after former U.S. President Donald Trump attributed the unrest to mass migration, stating that France was being "conquered, looted and burned to the ground by migrants, jihadists and communists who hate Christianity and Western civilization itself." Trump had shared a video of the burning city hall in Limoges, a historic building that was the target of an arson attack.

Addressing the situation, Macron stated, "There has been foreign manipulation of information afterwards - that is certain. This led to unacceptable and downright stupid comments from many people, including foreign leaders." He specifically pointed to the spread of "artificial-intelligence-generated images showing scenes that never happened in France." Macron added that claims of France being invaded by "hordes of migrants and Islamists" were "completely false."

"The fact is that all those speaking ill of our country right now are people who don't love our country. And those people irritate me," Macron said. He further elaborated that leaders, "whether in the region or on the other side of the Atlantic," who "sometimes naively repeat AI-generated content or spread narratives that certain circles are clearly trying to promote about what happened in France," are using his country for their own political campaigns. When asked if he was referring to Trump, Macron replied, "Among others."

The French president made these statements while in Qatar, concluding a tour aimed at securing energy supplies amidst a crisis and rising prices. His office announced deals to secure an additional 100,000 metric tons of diesel per month from the United Arab Emirates, with further supplies potentially coming from Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.

Meanwhile, France has implemented targeted curfews in parts of Paris and Lyon following the first quiet night since the protests escalated. Curfews were also imposed on unaccompanied minors in Marseille. The government plans a significant deployment of police and gendarmes for upcoming demonstrations, with soldiers from Operation Sentinelle being redeployed to guard sensitive sites.

French officials have attributed the violence to far-left groups and looters, contrasting with foreign leaders who have cited immigration. At least 2,400 people were arrested nationwide during the most recent protests. Authorities recently arrested a suspect in the arson attack on Limoges' city hall, described as being close to radical environmentalist movements and on a watchlist.