Pauline Hanson Warns of French-Style Riots in Australia Without Migration Limits

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has issued a stark warning that Australia could face violent riots similar to those seen in France if mass migration is not curbed. Hanson stated that protests in France and other European nations are a direct consequence of 'mass migration' and pose a threat to the Australian way of life.

In a social media post, Hanson asserted that "France is burning. End mass migration or the same will come to Australia." She further elaborated that Australia "cannot afford to repeat the mistake of mass migration which is tearing apart Europe." She specifically named France, Germany, Belgium, and the U.K. as countries suffering from the effects of large-scale immigration, warning that unless Australia stops "importing people who reject our democracy, our way of life and the values of Western civilisation, these riots will eventually be coming to Australian cities."

Hanson's remarks come in the wake of significant unrest in France, where President Emmanuel Macron addressed widespread riots involving over 500,000 protesters. These demonstrations, which have lasted nearly five weeks, have seen businesses looted and public buildings attacked, including the torching of the Limoges Town Hall. More than 2,400 arrests were made amid the violence.

Similar copycat protests have also occurred in other European cities, including Tirana, Albania, and Milan, Italy.

The sentiment expressed by Hanson appears to resonate with some polling data in Australia. A Centre for Independent Studies poll indicated that while 54 percent of Australian voters believed migration had historically had a positive impact, only 25 percent felt it was having a positive impact today, with 52 percent stating it was having a negative impact on contemporary society. Parnell McGuinness, a senior fellow at the Centre for Independent Studies, suggested this shift indicated a growing mistrust in the benefits of migration, stating, "The multicultural bargain is not failing because Australians have stopped believing in it. It is fraying because both sides increasingly feel they are putting more into the relationship than they are getting back."

Net overseas migration in Australia exceeded 500,000 in 2022-23, though it has since fallen to 446,000 in 2023-24. The current migration level stands at 292,100 for the year to March, surpassing the Albanese government's long-term target of 225,000. Opposition Leader Angus Taylor has pledged that the Coalition would aim to reduce net overseas migration to 100,000. One Nation has proposed a unique approach: a net-negative migration plan for three years, followed by the reintroduction of migration capped at 130,000 annually.