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France's President Emmanuel Macron has criticised world leaders who he said were campaigning for upcoming elections "at France's expense" with "unacceptable and even stupid comments" about the country's riots last weekend.
In an apparent swipe at US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he stated "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.
Although many protesters marched peacefully during mass demonstrations across France over the weekend, widespread looting and clashes with police overshadowed protests organised by trade unions, the Yellow Vest movement and students.
Speaking from Doha during a visit to Qatar, Macron denied allegations that foreign interference contributed to these events. He called out "subsequent foreign manipulation of information, which led to equally unacceptable and stupid comments from many people, including foreign leaders."
He criticised leaders who shared fake AI videos generated by artificial intelligence. "We have people who explained that we had been invaded by hordes of migrants and Islamists", he said.
US President Donald Trump is currently in campaigning mode for the US midterms and has sought to turn French protests — the majority of which were peaceful, ahead of violence which erupted on 17 October — into an opportunity to highlight the perceived threats of immigration and what he claims is the decline of Western civilisation.
Trump claimed that France was "under siege, looted and set ablaze by migrants, jihadists and communists" on Monday. He has framed the unrest to suggest that the same fate awaits America if the Democrats win.
Macron told reporters that France already faced domestic issues and that the situation did not need to be inflamed further, stating "in these moments, we see who loves France and who doesn't."
Emergency measures in place ahead of fresh protests
Macron also announced that he would convene an emergency meeting with ministers and intelligence officials on Thursday to obtain a "detailed account" of the events of 17 October. France's government has already recognised losing control of the events of the situation that day.
He stressed that a "roadmap" had been laid out on Monday morning, including curfews and restrictions on mass gatherings, which will remain in place ahead of new protests set to take place on 24 October.
"People who want to reek disorder in city centres on Saturday, will be prevented."
He also underlined the importance of dialogue with unions and political forces.
"Everyone needs to hold a responsibility in this context. There were too many ambiguities. People explaining that some forms of legitimate violence existed: no, there is no legitimate violence."
"The beginning of violence is a justification for what follows. In a democracy, nothing justifies violence," he said.
Macron’s state trip to Qatar is part of his three-day trip to the Gulf region, aimed at securing France's energy supplies, amid a major cost-of-living crisis, which has driven unrest across the country.
On Tuesday he announced that the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain had pledged to deliver a combined additional 200,000 tonnes of diesel per month to France.