Driving the news: “When you see steeples on fire and raging fires in France, just remember that this is what radical Democrats want to do to America,” Trump told a rally in Kansas on Monday.
- He claimed that France was being “conquered, pillaged and burned by migrants, jihadists and communists who hate Christianity” and “Western civilization itself”.
- Speaking earlier to journalists, the president claimed, without evidence, that the situation in France concerned “immigration, not schools”. He has repeatedly blamed the protests on immigration.
- The White House referred Axios to the president’s Truth Social message echoing this rhetoric.
Catch up quickly: Localized protests by high school students that began in Paris last month have expanded into a massive national movement against poor school conditions and the cost of living, sparking thousands of arrests and clashes between police and protesters, Axios’ Bec Falconer reports.
- Civil unrest gave way to rioting and looting, leading French President Emmanuel Macron to condemn “unbridled violence” perpetrated by “insurgent elements from far-left radical groups, joined by numerous criminals,” according to AP.
- Some 550,000 people demonstrated in France on Saturday, according to the Interior Ministry, although Reuters reported that a key union put the number at 800,000.
- On the sidelines, “thugs” chose “violence”, according to a translation of the Interior Ministry press release, which adds that some 500 police officers and firefighters were injured.
- The forceful police response to student protesters has also been scrutinized, sparking dozens of investigations into police conduct.
Zoom out: Some American Republicans followed Trump in citing the protests, which have spread to other countries, to rally voters and condemn immigration.
- Vice President Vance wrote on X: “Western liberals imported the third world to France and other countries in the name of diversity and compassion,” sharing a video of a historic town hall allegedly set on fire by masked protesters, according to AFP.
- “This is the future that Democrats in Congress seek for your country,” Vance argued.
Yes, but: Macron, according to a translation of his national speech during the weekend protests, said the hundreds of thousands of demonstrators had “legitimate demands” and should not be confused with violent rioters.
- He said those concerns included the cost of living and soaring fuel prices triggered by the war in Iran.
The bottom line: The spiral of violence has created a global shock that Trump is exploiting as a bogeyman ahead of an uphill midterm battle.
Go further: Police and protesters clash in Paris as tens of thousands gather across France
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