Photo: BENOIT TESSIER / AFP / Getty Images
French President Emmanuel Macron has criticized U.S. President Donald Trump and other Republicans for their claims that Muslim immigrants are responsible for the recent unrest in France. Macron called these claims "completely false," stating there is no evidence of foreign involvement in the protests. The demonstrations, which saw more than half a million people protesting against rising living costs and fuel prices, turned violent with incidents of rioting and looting.
Trump has used the violence to rally his political supporters, urging Macron to "close your borders and take control before it is too late," as reported by the Associated Press. Macron responded by highlighting "foreign manipulation of information" and the spread of "AI-generated images depicting scenes that never actually happened in France."
Macron accused American political leaders of using France's situation to advance their own election campaigns, saying, "People must stop spreading nonsense." He emphasized that the claims of migrant involvement are baseless and that the protests are representative of France's diverse society.
The protests, which have been largely peaceful, were sparked by grievances over the high cost of living and underfunded schools. However, some demonstrations escalated into violence, with masked rioters clashing with police and committing vandalism. French authorities have not linked immigrants to the unrest, and no specific group has been identified as responsible for the violence.
Macron's comments come amid his efforts to address the energy crisis and rising prices by securing additional diesel supplies from Gulf Arab states. He has also been working to prevent further violence by implementing curfews and planning a "massive" security operation for upcoming protests.