French Interior Minister Laurent Núñez offered his resignation to President Emmanuel Macron after nationwide protests on Oct. 17 spiraled into some of the worst urban violence and looting France has seen in years. Macron refused the offer, citing the need for uninterrupted command of the security forces amid ongoing fallout from the unrest.

Núñez, speaking on France Inter Monday morning, was direct: “I submitted my resignation because I am responsible for everything that happens.” 

"Je remets ma démission parce que je suis responsable de tout ce qui se passe" : Laurent Nuñez a déposé sa démission au président de la République qui l’a refusée Le ministre de l’Intérieur est au micro de @Ben_Duhamel dans le 7h50 du 19 octobre 2026 https://t.co/MWEMOE13HA https://t.co/lYQMvwmNj3

— France Inter (@franceinter) October 19, 2026

He acknowledged a “lack of anticipation” in preparations and said police had “lost control” in certain major cities, according to Le Monde news outlet. Forecasts had put expected turnout at around 200,000; the Interior Ministry later counted roughly 550,000 participants nationwide, while the CGT union estimated 800,000. About 60,000 law-enforcement personnel were deployed, yet the scale overwhelmed them in multiple locations.

A second wave of protests is already being called for on Oct. 24 and Oct. 31, with fears of a new wave of violence and unrest.

The Great Replacement is driving the French riots, says right-wing politician Éric Zemmour. "I believe that what we saw yesterday is the true face of the Great Replacement. It has an appearance: hordes of North African and African barbarians who ransack cities." Follow: @RMXnews

— Remix News & Views (@RMXnews) October 19, 2026

The Saturday demonstrations, called over rising living costs, fuel prices, declining public services, and conditions in schools, began largely peacefully but were overtaken by extreme violence in cities including Paris, Marseille, Lyon, Bordeaux, Limoges, and Strasbourg. 

Masked groups set fires, attacked public buildings, and looted shops. In Limoges, the historic 19th-century town hall was largely destroyed by arson. In Marseille, protesters breached city hall. Nationwide, authorities reported roughly 1,800 to more than 2,400 arrests and nearly 1,000 injured police and gendarmes. Additional clashes occurred in Paris and Marseille on Sunday.

Mass looting hits France

More than 2,000 shops were looted or damaged across the country, with the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry estimating damages in the hundreds of millions of euros.

France: Arab and Black youths make throat-slitting gesture while Spanish journalist reports on French riots

Carrefour alone saw about 50 stores affected, with repair costs exceeding €10 million and knock-on effects for employees through reduced hours.

In Paris, the area around Place de la République and the Marais saw systematic looting of supermarkets, electronics stores, bars, wine shops, gold buyers, and clothing retailers.

This is what happened when French people tried to stop the rioters. French Interior Minister Laurent Núñez has now offered his resignation to President Emmanuel Macron after nationwide riots. Macron refused the offer. Follow: @RMXnews https://t.co/CCdB254Yma

— Remix News & Views (@RMXnews) October 19, 2026

According to Welt newspaper, one gold-shop owner told reporters, she received a call from a neighboring restaurant worker who had filmed a group of young people breaking in: “They smashed everything up. They stole things. When I got back, they’d taken everything.”

A Nicolas wine store nearby had its windows and entrance smashed, shelves emptied, and champagne cartons and glass left on the floor. Employees of a Marais fashion boutique described the atmosphere as “dystopian,” with tear gas entering the premises. Paris Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire later said entire streets had been “methodically ravaged.”

Ceux qui ont cherché à faire tomber la République auront à en répondre. https://t.co/qtqKUIXPpu

— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) October 18, 2026

The Élysée announced Monday that Macron had rejected the resignation “given the need for continuous command of the security forces in the current situation.” The government was also reportedly considering declaring a state of emergency. However, Núñez has since stated that the government was “absolutely not” considering a state of emergency and would continue with existing public-order tools.

The presidency also acknowledged “failures in anticipation and intelligence-gathering” and directed Núñez to deploy a new doctrine of order maintenance “against the rioters” as quickly as possible, while ensuring transparency over the planning shortfalls.

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu was scheduled to chair an interministerial crisis unit. Macron himself continued a planned diplomatic tour of Gulf states aimed in part at securing oil and diesel supplies to ease fuel prices.

The post 2,000 shops looted or damaged across France, Macron rejects Interior Minister Núñez resignation offer appeared first on Remix News.

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.”

Bardzo się na pewno zdziwimy jak się za rok/dwa/pięć okaże, że protesty właśnie teraz w Hiszpanii, Francji, Włoszech były inspirowane z Rosji. W szoku będziemy.

— Dominika Długosz (@domi_dlugosz) October 18, 2026

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.”

Bo to Putin tam wszystkich tych migrantów nawpuszczał i tych długów narobił. Wiadomix, pani Dominiusiu

— Rafał A. Ziemkiewicz (@R_A_Ziemkiewicz) October 18, 2026

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.”

Co jeszcze w historii inspirowała Rosja? Moim zdaniem Putin stał za zagładą dinozaurów, uderzeniem meteorytu tunguskiego, zabójstwem Leszka Białego oraz śmiercią Vasco da Gamy. Przy czym da Gamę Putin osobiście zaraził malarią, nasyłając na niego wytresowanego komara.

— Łukasz Warzecha (@lkwarzecha) October 18, 2026

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 Great Replacement is driving the French riots, says right-wing politician Éric Zemmour. "I believe that what we saw yesterday is the true face of the Great Replacement. It has an appearance: hordes of North African and African barbarians who ransack cities." Follow: @RMXnews

— Remix News & Views (@RMXnews) October 19, 2026

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?”

The post Putin may be behind the riots in France, suggests Polish journalist appeared first on Remix News.

French right-wing politician Éric Zemmour said Sunday that violent protests and looting the previous day revealed “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.

During an appearance on French news network LCI, Zemmour said: “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.”

The Great Replacement is driving the French riots, says right-wing politician Éric Zemmour. "I believe that what we saw yesterday is the true face of the Great Replacement. It has an appearance: hordes of North African and African barbarians who ransack cities." Follow: @RMXnews

— Remix News & Views (@RMXnews) October 19, 2026

“It has its flags: Palestinian, Algerian and Moroccan. It has its allies, Antifa militias. It has its legal backing, the LFI deputies. It has a mode of operation: looting, raids. And finally, I would say it has an ideological, historical engine: hatred of France and revenge for colonization,” he continued.

Zemmour, a former journalist and author who leads the Reconquête party, has long promoted the “Great Replacement,” which he uses to describe native European populations being demographically supplanted by non-European immigrants, particularly from Muslim-majority countries, Africa, and Asia. The topic is openly discussed in France, including among intellectuals, academics, politicians, and even Michel Houellebecq, arguably the country’s most celebrated living author.

Michel Houellebecq says Great Replacement is ‘fact’: ‘I was very shocked that it was called a theory. It’s not a theory, it’s a fact.’

Zemmour’s remarks referred to massive riots on Oct. 17 that occurred in French cities across the country, where protests over the cost of living and public services turned into some of the country’s most violent demonstrations in years. Videos of burning buildings, looted stores, and violent clashes with police were spread across social media.

Unbelievable footage from Paris. Police are in open panic as they flee from rioters. State control has collapsed across the country. Follow: @RMXnews https://t.co/sPAoTLe8VZ

— Remix News & Views (@RMXnews) October 17, 2026

Similar unrest occurred the same weekend in northern Italy, including Milan, where youths looted shops and clashed with officers.

Taking inspiration from riots in France, 2nd- and 3rd-generation migrant youths in Milan looted luxury stores and supermarkets today (Oct. 18). Italian police are nowhere to be seen. Follow: @RMXnews https://t.co/eAauRfkJU4

— Remix News & Views (@RMXnews) October 18, 2026

Zemmour’s remarks came at a time when U.S. officials, including Donald Trump, have remarked on the riots as well.

“France is burning! The immigration of people from an entirely different world, people with hatred in their hearts, has shattered that once great country. Close your Borders and take control, before it is too late!” wrote Trump.

Vice President JD Vance also wrote on X: “Western liberals imported the third world into France and other countries in the name of diversity and compassion. They ignored fundamental questions of assimilation and compatibility. They were told it would lead to this and they didn’t listen.”

Western liberals imported the third world into France and other countries in the name of diversity and compassion. They ignored fundamental questions of assimilation and compatibility. They were told it would lead to this and they didn’t listen. I pray that France, a beautiful country of amazing people, will stop this madness before more of its landmarks burn. And I hope Americans are paying attention. This is the future congressional Democrats seek for your country.

— JD Vance (@JDVance) October 18, 2026

Zemmour, who finished fourth in the 2022 presidential election, has remained a prominent voice on immigration ahead of France’s next national vote, but his right-wing rival, Le Pen, is heavily favored to win the presidency. Zemmour typically polls around 5 percent in the first round.

Zemmour: France is in a struggle for survival against the Great Replacement

The post ‘The true face of the Great Replacement’ – Right-wing politician Zemmour says French riots driven by ‘hordes of North African and African barbarians’ appeared first on Remix News.

Several Manitoba politicians are offering their condolences to those who were killed and seriously injured at Canadian Forces Base in Wainwright on Saturday.

Several Manitoba politicians are offering their condolences to those who were killed and seriously injured at Canadian Forces Base in Wainwright on Saturday.