US president Donald Trump criticised France’s immigration policies during a campaign rally for republican candidates in Perry, Georgia, on Saturday, claiming the country was facing turmoil because it had opened its borders to people hostile towards it, according to the news agency ANI.“France is right now burning down because it opens its borders to people who hate it,” Trump said, alleging that immigrants disliked the country’s buildings, monuments, paintings and culture.Drawing a comparison with US immigration policy, Trump told the gathering that such individuals should never be allowed into a country. “And that’s what we’re doing,” he added.His remarks came as early voting began for the November 2026 US midterm elections, which will determine control of both chambers of Congress and influence the remainder of Trump’s legislative agenda.
Nearly 1,000 arrests during protests across France
Meanwhile, nearly 1,000 people were arrested during demonstrations across France on Saturday, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said, warning that the figure could rise further.The protests, fuelled by anger over the rising cost of living and concerns about education funding, witnessed clashes between demonstrators and police in Paris and several other cities.According to France 24, the French government estimated that around 410,000 people participated in demonstrations nationwide, while organisers put the turnout at nearly 800,000.Authorities said the demonstration in Paris had been completely dispersed along the Cours de Vincennes after confrontations between protesters and law enforcement officers towards the rear of the march.The prefectural police said a Gendarmerie helicopter had been deployed to assist ground personnel and locate any remaining groups of rioters. Officials estimated that more than 500 people involved in rioting were present towards the end of the demonstration.Police used water cannons and tear gas grenades after projectiles were thrown at officers.“As I speak to you, we are at nearly 1,000 arrests,” Nunez said during a press briefing, adding that the number was likely to increase significantly. He noted that 385 arrests had been recorded by the same time the previous Saturday, when protests were also marked by violence and looting.Although several gatherings began peacefully, clashes intensified in Paris later on Saturday. Confrontations were also reported in major cities, including Lyon, Lille, Marseille, Montpellier, Nantes and Toulouse, Euronews reported.The demonstrations brought together a broad coalition of left-wing political leaders, trade unions, student organisations, activists and non-governmental organisations, including Amnesty International, according to France 24.
Macron hits back at foreign leaders’ remarks
French president Emmanuel Macron had criticised foreign leaders for using unrest in France to advance their own political agendas. Speaking in Doha on October 21 during a three-day visit to Qatar and the wider Gulf region, Macron appeared to take aim at Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu without initially naming them.“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,” Macron said, according to Euronews.The French president’s visit focused on securing energy supplies amid the country’s cost-of-living pressures.Trump had previously described France as being “under siege, looted and set ablaze by migrants, jihadists and communists”, warning US voters that similar consequences could follow if Democrats won the midterm elections.Macron rejected claims that foreign interference had triggered the violence, while criticising what he described as misleading narratives and AI-driven misinformation surrounding the unrest.“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.When a reporter asked whether his comments were directed at Trump, Macron replied, “Among others, yes.”He also urged foreign leaders not to aggravate tensions and defended France against criticism from abroad.“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.
Netanyahu accuses France of failing to tackle extremism
Netanyahu had also criticised the French government’s handling of the unrest. In an interview with French-language broadcaster i24News on October 20, the Israeli prime minister claimed France was facing an “invasion of extremist Islam”, according to the Times of Israel.Accusing French authorities of failing to prepare adequately for the disorder, Netanyahu said, “They did not prepare in time; they simply gave up. They succumbed to the invasion of extremist Islam.”Asked what France should do, he urged the country to resist extremist groups rather than pursue a policy of appeasement.The protests in France began more than a month ago, with students raising concerns about conditions in high schools, teacher shortages, school schedules and inequalities between public and private education, France 24 reported.The movement subsequently expanded into a broader national mobilisation involving trade unions, civil society groups and the Yellow Vests movement. It gathered further momentum following violent clashes during cost-of-living demonstrations the previous week.
