Rabat – French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday accused foreign leaders of spreading false claims about recent unrest in France, including AI-generated images that depicted violence that never occurred.
Speaking in Doha after a visit to the Gulf, Macron criticized unnamed leaders for repeating misleading information about the riots that broke out on October 17 during nationwide demonstrations against the rising cost of living.
“There was foreign manipulation of information which led to unacceptable and even stupid comments by many, including foreign leaders,” Macron said.
His remarks appeared to target US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who linked the unrest to immigration and Islam. Trump said the situation in France had to do with immigration, while Netanyahu described the country as the target of an “invasion of extremist Islam.”
Macron rejected these claims, saying AI-generated images had circulated online that showed scenes that never took place in France.
“We had people who explained that we had been ‘invaded by hordes of migrants and Islamists’ – which is totally false,” he said.
The French president suggested that some foreign leaders had repeated such claims ahead of elections in their countries. He also criticized Trump for backing French far-right figure Marine Le Pen, who is expected to play a major role in France’s 2027 presidential election.
The unrest overshadowed demonstrations in which more than 500,000 people marched peacefully against the rising cost of living. The rallies followed weeks of student protests that disrupted schools across the country.
Authorities introduced nighttime curfews in several cities after the violence, which the government described as among the worst France has experienced in years.
Macron said he would meet intelligence officials, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu and other ministers on Thursday to review the October 17 unrest.
The government has also promised a reinforced security operation for further demonstrations scheduled for Saturday, with additional police and troops expected to support the response.
Macron, who faced domestic criticism for his trip to the Middle East during the crisis, defended his handling of the situation.
“There must be no sign of febrility
