[Regnum] Amid mass unrest in France,US President Donald Trump called on local authorities to immediately close their borders to migrants.
"Migrants are flooding France. They must close the borders immediately," the American leader wrote on the social network TruthSocial.
Mass protests in France began back in September. Schoolchildren were the first to take to the streets, dissatisfied with the shortage of teachers, overcrowded schedules, and the poor condition of educational institutions. By October 17, protests had spread across various French cities, attracting up to 500,000 people. The demonstrations escalated into clashes with police and riots. Law enforcement detained more than 1,800 people, and over 500 police officers were injured.
On October 19, French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced that a partial curfew would be imposed in several cities across the country. He also added that a state of emergency could be declared if necessary.
For his part, French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez acknowledged that the mass unrest had gotten out of control. He said the police presence was disproportionate to the number of people on the streets. The minister took responsibility for the incident and attempted to resign, but President Emmanuel Macron refused.
Russia has condemned the French authorities' brutal suppression of the protests. Russia's Permanent Representative to the OSCE, Dmitry Polyansky, stated that Macron, with his meager social approval rating, is attempting to silence schoolchildren. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova noted that the Élysée Palace is failing to respond to the police's unjustified harsh actions.
| Oh no — the police actions are absolutely justified, and not nearly harsh enough to put down this highly organized urban insurrection. |