PARIS, October 21 (Aalimi Nation) – French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday that those who want to cause disorder in city centres at next Saturday's protests over the cost of living will be prevented from doing so, as the government prepares a much larger security operation after riots and looting at the weekend.
Speaking to reporters in Doha after meeting Qatar's emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, during a Gulf trip, Macron said he would "adopt all the measures necessary" to restore calm, security and order. He said a state of emergency was not needed at present. He said he would meet intelligence services before Saturday.
What happened in France on October 17
More than half a million people marched across France on Saturday, October 17, against rising living costs and in support of better conditions in schools. The marches followed four weeks of student protests that closed many schools. Most of the demonstrations were peaceful, but riots and looting broke out in some areas. At least 2,500 people were arrested, and shops were looted. Authorities in Paris and several other cities imposed night-time curfews in certain zones on Monday and Tuesday, and these passed without major incidents.
French government response to the protests
Lecornu told parliament the authorities would deploy a "massive" security presence on Saturday, with the military supporting the police. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said troops under the Sentinelle security programme would be deployed. Ministers have acknowledged shortcomings in the initial response to the unrest. Local officials may impose further curfews where needed. The Yellow Vest movement has filed plans for a large protest in Paris at the weekend.
Macron said: "There must be no wavering at the top of the state." Defending his own role, he said: "I am fulfilling my role. I am at my post."
Macron and foreign leaders
A large part of Macron's remarks addressed comments from abroad. He said there had been no "visible foreign interference in the events that took place", but warned of "foreign manipulation of information in the aftermath". He described comments by "many, including foreign leaders" as "unacceptable and even stupid" and said some leaders campaigning for elections had repeated AI-generated material "sometimes with credulity".
"We saw images generated by AI which showed scenes that never took place in France," Macron said. He rejected claims that France had been "invaded by hordes of migrants and Islamists", calling them "totally false".
He did not name anyone. However, US President Donald Trump has said that what is happening in France "has to do with immigration", and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday that France had been hit by an "invasion of extremist Islam". Neither was reported to have offered evidence. Trump faces midterm elections in November, and Netanyahu faces an election this month.
