Protestsupdated 14m ago2 min read
Emmanuel Macron Says Foreign Manipulation of Information After Trump Blames Migrants for France Riots
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Macron says no direct foreign interference; foreign leaders manipulate information to exploit riots. Macron denounces foreign leaders' comments blaming migrants as unacceptable and politically motivated.
36 outlets told this the same way.
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Macron blames foreign manipulation
French President Emmanuel Macron said there was “foreign manipulation of information” after riots erupted across France and that the comments it produced were “unacceptable and stupid.” Macron told reporters in Doha that “For me, there is no visible foreign interference in the events that took place,” while he pointed to AI-generated images and false claims about migrants and Islamists.
Trump had claimed without evidence that France was being “conquered, looted and burned to the ground by migrants, jihadists and communists who hate Christianity,” and Macron said such assertions were “completely false.” Macron also said he would meet intelligence officials, Lecornu and other ministers on Thursday to obtain a detailed account of the October 17 unrest, as authorities prepared for more protests expected Saturday.
Jailed, curfews, and next march
French authorities said nearly 150 people have been jailed and more than 800 brought before the courts since the riots gripped Paris and other cities including Lyon, Marseille and Nice. The government admitted the police had “lost control” during the violence, and Macron vowed afterwards that authorities would be “uncompromising” towards “agitators from ultra-left fringe groups.”
Prime Minister Édouard Philippe told unions ahead of a meeting that talks should focus on ensuring “the essential freedom to protest,” while some want to restrict it by tying it to “unacceptable actions.” The Yellow Vest movement announced plans to organize a large march in Paris on Saturday, and Macron said those seeking to incite chaos in upcoming protests will not be able to do so.
Elections, AI, and security
Macron accused foreign leaders of exploiting the riots for electoral purposes, saying they were campaigning “at France's expense” with their comments on violence that erupted on the fringe of cost-of-living protests.
Macron said the unnamed leaders had been influenced by fake videos generated by AI about the riots, and he warned that “There must be no wavering at the top of the state.”
Trump posted on Social Truth that “Immigrants have taken over France. Paris authorities must close the borders quickly,” and he also said “Close the borders or you will lose France.”
France 24 reported that Macron said world leaders made “stupid” comments based on fake AI videos, as the next wave of demonstrations against France's worsening cost of living was planned for Saturday.