Macron Blames Foreign Leaders for Fueling French Riots

Wed Oct 21 2026 15:44:33 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

French president accuses overseas politicians of exploiting recent unrest for political gain amid rising disinformation.

French President Emmanuel Macron, speaking in Doha, accused foreign leaders of exploiting the violent protests across France to advance election agendas, singling out Israeli and U.S. politicians. He linked their rhetoric to AI‑generated fake videos that amplified the unrest. Over 150 people have been jailed and 800 taken to court since the violence began in Marseille, Lyon and Paris, while EU regulators investigate disinformation campaigns. BBC Verify traced a viral AI‑made image of a robbery in Paris to an obscure source, underscoring the dangers of fabricated content.

Macron Blames Foreign Leaders for Fueling French Riots

French President Emmanuel Macron said on a visit to Doha that overseas politicians were exploiting the violent protests that erupted across France for their own electoral gain.

He did not name specific figures, but viewers inferred a reference to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump, both of whom are facing elections in the coming weeks. Macron suggested that their speeches about the riots, amplified by false AI‑generated videos, were aimed at stirring fear about immigration.

The French leader added that a surge of “fake videos generated by AI” had falsely portrayed the street violence, causing many foreign officials to emit “unacceptable and stupid comments.” These videos were part of a wider disinformation effort that EU regulators said was linked to pro‑Russian and far‑right social media accounts.

In total, more than 150 people have been jailed and over 800 have faced courts since the unrest began in Marseille, Lyon, Paris and Nice. French police admitted they had “lost control” amid the chaotic scenes, while Macron pledged an “uncompromising” response against ultra‑left agitators.

BBC Verify traced one of the most viral AI‑made images — purportedly of an elderly couple robbed in Paris — to an obscure Israeli website that claimed it was produced with ChatGPT. The image was later shared on X with no disclaimer, amassing over six million views.

The developments underscore the growing influence of fabricated content in geopolitical conflicts and the urgent need for greater transparency from both politicians and tech platforms.