In brief
French President Emmanuel Macron has accused unnamed foreign leaders of campaigning for upcoming elections at France’s expense, pointing to fake AI videos that inflamed riots across several French cities. In a speech in Doha, he condemned manipulation of information that inspired violent protests, calling out leaders in the Middle East, the United States and Europe. EU regulators are investigating possible disinformation campaigns linked to pro‑Russian, far‑right and other foreign actors. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have responded, each linking the unrest to immigration and security concerns. The clashes, sparked by cost‑of‑living protests, left nearly 150 people jailed and over 800 court‑bargained participants, while police admitted a loss of control amid the violence.
French President Emmanuel Macron has accused unnamed foreign leaders of exploiting the weekend riots that broke out in Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Nice for election politics.
In a speech in Doha, he said those leaders were “in campaign mode” and that they had fed the unrest with fake videos about the violence, which the president called a “manipulation of information” that led to “unacceptable and stupid comments.”
Macron singled out Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump, who had both linked the riots to immigration – Netanyahu to a 2024 election in Israel and Trump to upcoming U.S. mid‑terms.
EU regulators are now probing the spread of disinformation, with reports that pro‑Russian, far‑right and even Iranian social‑media accounts may have amplified the unrest using AI‑generated videos that mimicked reputable French news outlets.
The riots, triggered by ongoing cost‑of‑living protests, left more than 800 people facing court action and nearly 150 jailed, while police admitted a loss of control during the clashes.
French authorities have vowed to act “uncompromisingly” against “agitators from ultra‑left fringe groups,” whilst the government ramps up security to prevent further outbreaks.
