FranceNewsPolandTrending

Putin may be behind the riots in France, suggests Polish journalist

Rafał A. Ziemkiewicz, a conservative writer and commentator, mocked the journalist, writing: “Because it was Putin who let all those migrants in there and ran up those debts. Of course, Madam Dominika.”

By
- Remix News Staff -
5 Min Read

Mainstream Polish journalist Dominika Długosz suggested that recent protests in France, Spain and Italy are being driven and influenced by Russia, a claim that was sharply rebuked by a number of Polish conservatives on X.

Długosz, a political reporter for Newsweek and Onet, wrote sarcastically on X on Oct. 18: “We’ll certainly be very surprised if in a year/two/five it turns out that the protests right now in Spain, France, Italy were influenced by Russia. We’ll be in shock.”

Rafał A. Ziemkiewicz, a conservative writer and commentator, replied directly to Długosz: “Because it was Putin who let all those migrants in there and ran up those debts. Of course, Ms. Dominika.”

Łukasz Warzecha, a journalist and commentator associated with the conservative weekly Do Rzeczy, posted a broader mockery: “What else in history did Russia influence? In my opinion, Putin was behind the extinction of the dinosaurs, the Tunguska meteorite impact, the murder of Leszek the White and the death of Vasco da Gama. What’s more, Putin personally infected da Gama with malaria by sending a trained mosquito after him.”

Długosz’s post did not present evidence of Russian involvement, and no independent verification of external direction of the protests has been reported by major international news agencies covering the events.

The posts came as France reeled from one of its most violent days of unrest in years. On Saturday, Oct. 17, demonstrations against rising living costs, fuel prices, declining public services and school conditions drew between 550,000 and 800,000 people nationwide, according to Interior Minister Laurent Núñez and the CGT union. Violence erupted during the protests in numerous cities including Paris, Marseille, Bordeaux, Lyon, Limoges and Strasbourg.

The exchange, highlighted by the conservative outlet Do Rzeczy, reflects a recurring Polish and broader European debate over whether external actors, particularly Russia, are driving social unrest. For years, the left has claimed Russian influence campaigns were responsible for everything to the election of Donald Trump to the popularity of the Alternative for Germany (AfD). While Russian influence campaigns are active and ongoing, their reach is extremely limited, and even more so now that major media actors like RT have been banned in Europe.

In France itself, right-wing politician Éric Zemmour said the violent protests and looting were “the true face of the Great Replacement,” citing Palestinian, Algerian and Moroccan flags among demonstrators and alleging ties to antifascist groups and left-wing lawmakers.

“What we saw yesterday is the true face of the Great Replacement. It has an appearance: hordes of North African and African barbarians who rampage through cities,” he said.

‘The true face of the Great Replacement’ – Right-wing politician Zemmour says French riots driven by ‘hordes of North African and African barbarians’

Authorities reported roughly 1,800 to more than 2,400 arrests during the riots, thousands of shops looted or damaged, and significant injuries among police, firefighters and others. A historic town hall in Limoges was largely destroyed by arson. In Marseille, protesters breached city hall.

President Emmanuel Macron, in a televised address, distinguished between “legitimate demands” of protesters and those who “destroyed, smashed and looted.” He said those responsible “must pay,” blamed “seditious elements from far-left factions, joined by numerous delinquents,” and asked, “How can French people do this to France?”

Share This Article
Previous Article ‘The true face of the Great Replacement’ – Right-wing politician Zemmour says French riots driven by ‘hordes of North African and African barbarians’