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

French President Emmanuel Macron has criticized "stupid comments" from foreign leaders regarding the recent protests and riots that have shaken France. His remarks came days after former U.S. President Donald Trump attributed the unrest to mass migration, stating France was "conquered, looted and burned to the ground by migrants, jihadists and communists who hate Christianity."

Macron stated that foreign manipulation of information, including the use of artificial-intelligence-generated images showing non-existent scenes, contributed to "unacceptable and downright stupid comments from many people, including foreign leaders." He added, "We have seen artificial-intelligence-generated images showing scenes that never happened in France. People have claimed that we were invaded by hordes of migrants and Islamists, which is completely false."

Speaking in Qatar, Macron expressed frustration with leaders using France's internal issues for political campaigns, particularly those "in the middle of election campaigns, whether in the region or on the other side of the Atlantic." When asked if he was referring to Trump, Macron replied, "Among others."

The protests in France, initially sparked by living costs and poor school conditions, escalated into widespread rioting and looting. Fresh curfews have been imposed in parts of Paris and Lyon, and Marseille has implemented a curfew for unaccompanied minors in an effort to restore order. The French government has attributed the violence to far-left groups and looters.

Amid the unrest, soldiers from the Sentinelle anti-terrorism operation will be deployed to guard sensitive sites to free up police for crowd control during anticipated demonstrations. The government has pledged a "massive" police deployment for upcoming protests.

In Limoges, authorities arrested a suspect in connection with an arson attack on the city hall. French media identified the suspect as Hodei Ciarra Docampo, who is reportedly linked to radical environmentalist and ultra-Left extremist groups. U.S. Vice President JD Vance and former President Trump had both shared images of the burning building on social media, linking the incident to immigration.

Macron was in Qatar as part of a tour to secure energy supplies amid the ongoing energy crisis and rising prices, having secured commitments for additional diesel fuel from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain. These agreements aim to secure oil, gas, diesel, and jet fuel for France.