US President Donald Trump has blamed French President Emmanuel Macron’s immigration policies for the riots and protests in France, saying the situation could have been avoided if Macron had listened to his warnings about immigration.
Speaking to reporters outside the White House on Monday, Trump claimed that immigration had changed the character of the French capital and warned that Paris would soon become a Muslim city.
“Paris is going to be a Muslim city very soon, and that wasn’t the deal,” Trump said.
Trump said he had raised concerns with Macron years ago about France allowing large numbers of immigrants into the country.
“He’s a friend of mine. I told him a long time ago, you’re making a big mistake in France. You’re letting everybody from the world come in,” Trump said.
“The whole world was coming in. And as you know, Paris is going to be a Muslim city very soon, and that wasn’t the deal. That wasn’t the deal,” he added.
His remarks came as French authorities tightened security in several cities following a weekend of riots, looting and clashes between protesters and police. Paris, Lille and Nice were among the places where authorities introduced localised curfews and restrictions on public gatherings.
The unrest has put Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu’s government under pressure, with questions being raised about security arrangements and the damage caused to businesses. The violence has also added to public tensions ahead of the next presidential election.
The French government has chosen to restrict gatherings in specific areas rather than impose a blanket curfew across Paris. Lecornu said targeted measures were the right approach for now, although he has not ruled out declaring a state of emergency if the situation worsens.
“My determination to restore order is absolute,” Lecornu told reporters.
Paris police banned demonstrations in certain parts of the capital from 8 pm on Monday. A separate curfew was imposed around Place de la Republique and Les Halles from 11 pm until 6 am on Tuesday.
Additional police personnel were deployed to enforce the restrictions and prevent further violence.
The scale of the unrest has been significant. France’s Interior Ministry said around 2,400 people had been arrested and nearly 1,000 police officers injured during the clashes. One protester died after suffering a cardiac arrest on Saturday.
Businesses have also been hit hard. According to the Federation of Trade and Retail, nearly 3,000 shops were affected by the violence over the weekend. The damage has prompted calls for government assistance for businesses dealing with the aftermath of the unrest.
Macron condemns destruction across France
Macron has strongly criticised the violence, addressing the nation in a televised speech in which he expressed anger and shame over the destruction.
“Nothing justifies it, nothing explains it, nothing excuses it,” Macron said, questioning why people would damage their own country.
The French president acknowledged that people taking part in peaceful protests had genuine grievances. However, he said those concerns should not be used to justify violence, looting or attacks on businesses and public property.
Macron has not declared a state of emergency. Instead, he said the government would give local authorities the power to ban demonstrations when necessary to protect public buildings and businesses.