Europe is investigating possible Russian influence on the unrest in France.

The Financial Times reports this.

According to the publication, pro-Russian and far-right accounts shared violent videos in an attempt to incite chaos. Analysts also identified signs of possible informational influence from Iran and Algeria. However, there is no evidence yet that foreign states orchestrated the unrest or significantly influenced its course.

David Colon, a disinformation researcher at Sciences Po, a Paris-based think tank, stated that Kremlin-linked opinion leaders spread falsehoods. Specifically, these included individuals associated with the “Storm-1516” campaign and the Russian “Matryoshka” influence network. However, they did not initiate the demonstrations or shape the course of events.

Media outlets also uncovered videos falsely claimed to be from France. One such video, featuring protesters using fireworks, garnered nearly six million views on the social media platform X. In reality, the video was filmed in 2024 during protests in Tbilisi.

Incidentally, on Saturday, October 17, nationwide protests against the high cost of living took place in Paris and other French cities , during which clashes occurred between demonstrators and police. As of midday, approximately 140 protests involving more than 32,000 people had been recorded outside Paris, and law enforcement officers had detained more than 160 people across the country.

As a reminder, large-scale high school student protests continue in France. They began over problems in the education system and have spread to various cities across the country . Since the protests began, 1,949 people have been detained, 305 police officers and 65 school staff members, including 40 principals, have been injured.

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