France is still burning, we've seen "mostly peaceful" protests in Belgium, and now protests have spread to Italy. This is being coordinated at some level.
- In France: "Moment French rioters attack shopkeeper and distraught woman begs them not to loot store as police admit they've 'lost control' of violent protests that saw 143-year-old town hall incinerated." An excerpt:
Violent protesters have rebelled over the cost of living, education standards and Mr Macron's government, with police admitting they 'lost control' on Saturday.
More than 1,200 demonstrators were arrested as the streets of major cities were turned into a battleground, with widespread riots described as 'apocalyptic'.
Desperate business owners and horrified residents could only watch in fear as the mob went door-to-door, smashing their way into each business.
A distraught woman was seen begging rioters in Paris not to loot a supermarket.
She was heard asking 'why are you doing this' and screaming 'this is not the cause' as a group of young male rioters push past her into the smashed shop.
The footage then shows the crowd appearing to cheer as the balaclava-clad looters leave with arms full of stolen goods.
The shop was one of many buildings and businesses to be damaged in the demonstrations, as roughly 550,000 protesters took to the country's streets.
Limoges Town Hall, which was built in 1883 and survived both world wars, came tumbling down in a blaze after it was torched by rioters in France's south-west.
A video seen by 1.4million X users showed the historic building – which played a significant role in the French Resistance during the Second World War – collapsing with its bell tower engulfed in flames.
In another shocking video from Nice, a comic book shop owner was seen trying to defend his business as looters appeared to have smashed their way in.
He stepped out to confront a rioter and shouted to the crowd but was knocked to the ground by a looter who kicked him in the back.
French police admitted they did not have the manpower to cope as 1,200 protesters were arrested across the country.
Meanwhile, French President Macron and his wife "were accused of acting like the out-of-touch King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette at the start of the 1789 Revolution after they were seen dancing in a private box at a Céline Dion concert on Friday night." President Trump had some advice for Macron:
He wrote on Truth Social: '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!'
It is too late, however. France--and much of the rest of Europe--have pretty much reached a point of either fully succumbing and becoming Islamic societies or finding a strong man leader who will purge their countries of the invaders notwithstanding national and EU laws.
As to the female shop owner from the article, there appears to be a bit more to the story than related in the Daily Mail piece:
And from Rod Dreher, who has always believed a piece of paper made one an "American" or some other nationality:
- And in Italy: "Rioters loot stores, set fires in central Milan during cost-of-living protest"--AP. From the article:
Rioters clashed with police, looted stores and set property on fire in central Milan on Saturday, emptying Piazza del Duomo and a luxury shopping arcade when the area would usually be teeming with shoppers.
The march against wars and rising living costs began peacefully. But masked protesters threw stones, paving blocks and other objects at riot police and set fire to barricades made from bar tables. Images of the aftermath showed a severely damaged carabinieri car.
Police used water cannons and tear gas to disperse the crowds.
At least two police officers were injured and about 50 demonstrators, including many minors, were detained, the LaPresse news agency reported.
Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni condemned the violence in a social media post.
“Demonstrating is a right. Setting our cities ablaze is not,” she wrote, citing “hooligans who exploit demonstrations to sow chaos, attack those responsible for ensuring security and hold entire cities hostage.”
Milan’s center-left mayor, Giuseppe Sala, said “the reasons for the protests were understandable. The violence against law enforcement and serious damage to the city are not justifiable.”
The unrest coincided with nationwide demonstrations in neighboring France against rising living costs and in support of high school students’ grievances. French police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse violent protesters who joined the rallies.
And the protests continued into Sunday.
- And in Belgium: "Belgian police fire tear gas at protesters"--Le Monde. An excerpt:
Belgian police fired tear gas and water cannons to disperse hundreds of demonstrators in Brussels and Liège taking part in cost-of-living protests on Saturday, October 17, similar to violent rallies in neighboring France.
High school students have staged protests in recent weeks against higher university registration fees, but Interior Minister Bernard Quintin blamed the troubles on "organized violence."
Police in Brussels used tear gas against youths in the Bourse district who lobbed bottles and other missiles, an Agence France-Presse (AFP) journalist said. Police said about 10 arrests were made. Following calls made on social media, several hundred people gathered near the Belgian capital's central railway station earlier.
A protest march was eventually authorized by authorities, but water cannon was used to disperse groups who threw fireworks and flammable liquids, police said. Garbage bins and e-scooters were set on fire, and a Socialist Party office was vandalized during the disturbances.
That's my tomorrow post.
ReplyDelete