U.S. President Donald Trump called on France to tighten its border controls, attributing recent protests and violence to problems stemming from immigration. France’s authorities told DW.com that almost 2,400 people were arrested across the country’s major cities following riots, looting, and arson. “France is burning! The immigration of people from an entirely different world, people with hatred in their hearts, has shattered that once great country,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Close your Borders and take control, before it is too late!”
Protests over the state of education and the rising cost of living drew around 500,000 people into the streets across France. In the aftermath, some demonstrators looted luxury stores such as Louis Vuitton and Hermès, clashed with police, and set fires throughout the country. The protesters, largely made up of high school students, are urging the government to address the cost of living, higher education, teacher salaries, and rising expenses, and to protect pensions and public services from budget cuts.
