From BBC News · · 2m
Macron blames foreign leaders for exploiting French riots
The French president accuses Netanyahu and Trump of using weekend violence for electoral gain, citing AI-generated disinformation.
In brief
The French president accuses Netanyahu and Trump of using weekend violence for electoral gain, citing AI-generated disinformation. Macron accused foreign leaders of exploiting French riots for political purposes, claiming they spread false narratives amplified by AI-generated fake videos. Originally reported by BBC…
Macron accuses foreign leaders
French President Emmanuel Macron accused foreign leaders of exploiting riots that erupted across France on Saturday for electoral purposes, campaigning at France's expense.
Apparent swipe at Netanyahu and Trump
Macron referred to leaders in campaign mode in the region and on the other side of the Atlantic, an apparent swipe at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who faces parliamentary elections next week, and US…
AI-generated fake videos spread
Macron said unnamed leaders had been influenced by fake videos generated by AI about the riots, which spread false claims about invasion by migrants and Islamists.
“We had people claiming that we had been invaded by hordes of migrants and Islamists, which is completely false.”
Netanyahu's invasion claim
On Tuesday, Netanyahu said in an interview that France had been hit by an invasion of extremist Islam, claiming he had told Macron after the Hamas attack on Israel on seven October twenty twenty-three that…
“If we do not eliminate them here, you will have them in Paris.”
Trump blames mass immigration
Also on Tuesday, Trump blamed the riots on mass immigration to France, saying the turmoil and hatred were not about school but about people coming into countries that hate the country.
“Close your borders and take control before it is too late!”
Riot scale and response
Nearly one hundred fifty people have been jailed and more than eight hundred brought before the courts since the riots gripped Paris and other cities including Lyon, Marseille and Nice.
Russian disinformation campaign
EU regulators are examining possible foreign online interference and disinformation campaigns.Pro-Russian and far-right social media accounts linked to previous campaigns spread violent videos.
Viral AI image traced
BBC Verify traced one of the most viral AI-generated images circulating on social media, supposedly showing an elderly couple robbed in Paris, to Infos-Israel dot News.
Image spreads without disclaimer
The image was later shared on X without any disclaimer in a post which attracted more than six million views. French media reported that prosecutors have no information supporting the alleged incident having happened.
Here's the gist
Macron accused foreign leaders of exploiting French riots for political purposes, claiming they spread false narratives amplified by AI-generated fake videos.
