Georgia: US President Donald Trump on Saturday (local time) criticised France's immigration policies while addressing a campaign rally for Republican candidates in Perry, Georgia.
Addressing the rally, Trump said, "France is right now burning down because it opens its borders to people who hate it. These are people who hate it. They hate France. They hate the people of France. They move there. They don't like the buildings. They don't like the monuments. They don't like the paintings. They don't like anything about France."
Using the current situation in France as an example, Trump drew a parallel to immigration policies of the US as he said, "And you know what you do with those people? Never let them come into your country. And that's what we're doing."
His remarks come as, in the United States, early voting for the November 2026 midterm elections has begun. The elections will determine control of both chambers of Congress and could shape Trump's ability to advance his legislative agenda during the remainder of his presidency.
Meanwhile, nearly 1,000 people were arrested during protests across France on Saturday (local time), Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said, warning that the figure could increase further, as demonstrations against the high cost of living and other issues witnessed clashes between protesters and police in Paris and other cities.
According to France 24, the French government said around 410,000 protesters had marched across the country, while organisers estimated the turnout at nearly 800,000.
Authorities announced that the demonstration in Paris had been completely dispersed along the Cours de Vincennes following clashes between protesters and law enforcement personnel at the rear of the march.
"A Gendarmerie helicopter has been deployed to support ground units and locate any remaining groups of rioters," the prefectural police said, adding that "more than 500 rioters" had been present towards the end of the demonstration.
Police used water cannons and tear gas grenades after projectiles were thrown at them. During a press briefing, Nunez said, "As I speak to you, we are at nearly 1,000 arrests."
"I believe this figure will increase significantly," he added. The minister also noted that 385 arrests had been made by the same time the previous Saturday, a day marked by violence and looting.
Hundreds of demonstrations took place across France as public anger mounted over the rising cost of living and a lack of educational funding, leading to clashes with security forces attempting to prevent a repeat of recent violence.
While initial gatherings were relatively peaceful, severe clashes broke out late Saturday evening in Paris. Riot police deployed tear gas and water cannons against crowds to restore order as security forces massed across the country to prevent a repeat of recent violence, Euronews reported.
Violence and confrontations with police spread to several major regional hubs, including Lyon, Lille, Marseille, Montpellier, Nantes, and Toulouse.
The demonstration brought together a broad coalition including left-wing party leaders, trade unions, student groups, activists, and non-governmental organisations such as Amnesty International, according to France24.
Earlier on October 21, French President Emmanuel Macron, in an apparent swipe at US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, 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, framed the French protests to highlight perceived threats surrounding immigration and Western decline.
On Monday (local time), 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.
When asked directly by a reporter if his remarks were directed at Donald Trump, Macron said, "Among others, yes."
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.