Violence in France: Why are leaders blaming immigration?

Diabagate Adama, an African immigrant who has worked in France’s private security sector for nearly a decade, says it is unfair and misleading to blame immigrants for violence surrounding the 17 October demonstrations. He describes the unrest as particularly alarming and worries about its effects on businesses and livelihoods. Donald Trump called France “on fire” and blamed immigration for the country’s alleged decline; JD Vance and Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar also linked the violence to immigration while advocating tougher border policies. The demonstrations initially began with high school and university students demanding better education conditions.