Doha [Qatar], October 22 (ANI): In an apparent swipe at US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday strongly criticised “stupid comments” from foreign leaders for exploiting recent domestic unrest in France to further their own political campaigns.
Speaking in Doha during a three-day state trip to Qatar and the broader Gulf region, aimed at securing France’s energy supplies amid an ongoing national cost-of-living crisis, Macron condemned foreign figures who he said were campaigning “at France’s expense” following nationwide riots over the weekend, according to Euronews.
Taking aim at international counterparts without naming them directly, Macron noted that leaders on both sides of the Atlantic were in active campaign mode.
“There are people who campaign at France’s expense — leaders who are in campaign mode, whether here in the region or on the other side of the Atlantic,” he commented.
Trump, currently campaigning ahead of the upcoming US midterm elections, has framed the French protests to highlight perceived threats surrounding immigration and Western decline.
On Monday, Trump asserted that France was “under siege, looted and set ablaze by migrants, jihadists and communists”, warning American voters that similar consequences await if Democrats prevail.
Rejecting claims that external interference ignited the violence, Macron called out what he termed inaccurate foreign narratives and AI-driven misinformation, according to Euronews.
“As far as I’m concerned, there is no visible foreign interference in the events that took place. There has been foreign manipulation of information in the aftermath, which led to equally unacceptable and stupid comments from many people, including foreign leaders,” he said.
Macron specifically denounced leaders who shared artificial intelligence-generated content depicting events that never occurred, Euronews reported.
“That is to say, we’ve seen AI-generated images showing scenes that never actually happened in France. We have people who explained that we had been invaded by hordes of migrants and Islamists”, he said.
When asked directly by a reporter if his remarks were directed at Donald Trump, Macron said, “Among others, yes.”
Addressing reporters, the French President urged against exacerbating existing domestic tensions and defended his country’s standing.
“In these moments, we see who loves France and who doesn’t. And the fact is, all the people who are speaking ill of our country right now are people who do not love our country. So, those people really bother me,” he added.
While mass demonstrations organised by trade unions, the Yellow Vest movement, and student groups saw mostly peaceful marches over the weekend, widespread looting and clashes with law enforcement on Saturday overshadowed the protests.
According to Euronews, President Macron confirmed he will convene an emergency meeting with cabinet ministers and intelligence officials on Thursday to receive a “detailed account” of the October 17 events upon returning to Paris.
His remarks come after US President Donald Trump on Monday (local time) claimed that Paris would soon become a “Muslim city”, criticising Macron for not closing the country’s borders, blaming immigration for the ongoing widespread protests in Paris.
Speaking to reporters outside the White House, Trump said the protests and violence in France were linked to immigration rather than education or domestic policy issues, warning that European countries faced serious consequences if they failed to tighten border controls and deport people he described as criminals.
“Well, France, it is a very sad situation what’s happening in France, because what’s happening in France has to do with immigration, not schools, not anything. It’s immigration,” Trump said.
Referring to his relationship with Macron, Trump said the French President was a friend but had made a mistake by allowing people from across the world to enter France.
“And, as you know, Paris is going to be a Muslim city very soon. And that wasn’t the deal. That wasn’t the deal. I told Emmanuel, you should close up your borders,” Trump added.
On the other hand, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserted on Tuesday that France is confronting an “invasion of extremist Islam”.
As reported by Times of Israel, during an interview with French-language network i24News, the Israeli Prime Minister criticised French authorities for failing to adequately anticipate the disorder and alleged that radical Muslim groups drove the turmoil, notwithstanding the broad and diverse cross-section of French citizens participating in the demonstrations.
Directly targeting the French government’s response to the situation, Netanyahu stated. “They did not prepare in time; they simply gave up. They succumbed to the invasion of extremist Islam.”
Asked what advice he would give to France, Netanyahu said: “Fight back, do not pursue a policy of appeasement — fight against the extremists.”
This comes amid continued unrest in France, where authorities have introduced curfews and stepped up security measures following violent disturbances and looting.
In Bordeaux, local authorities announced a week-long night curfew for unaccompanied minors following widespread looting and violence in the city centre over the weekend.
The order, announced on Monday by Sophie Brocas, Prefect of Gironde and Nouvelle-Aquitaine, will remain in effect from Tuesday until the morning of October 26. It restricts minors under the age of 18 from being in public spaces between 10 pm and 7 am unless accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.
The measure follows riots on October 17, which officials described as involving an “unprecedented level of violence”. Several thousand rioters targeted commercial areas in central Bordeaux, smashing storefronts and ransacking shops.
Authorities deployed 400 police officers and gendarmes, supported by two water cannons and two armoured vehicles, to contain the violence. Nearly 120 people were arrested over Saturday and Sunday and face prosecution.
At least 2,400 people were arrested following the unrest, which saw town halls set on fire and hundreds of businesses looted or damaged, according to the report. (ANI)
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