Macron assails ‘unacceptable and even stupid’ remarks from Trump, others on France riots

French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday blasted the “unacceptable and even stupid” remarks made by President Trump and others claiming student riots in France are the result of immigration.

“We have people who explained that we have been invaded by hordes of migrants and Islamists, which is totally false,” Macron told reporters in Doha, Qatar, in translated remarks from Al Jazeera . “For me, there is no visible foreign interference in the events that took place. On the other hand, there was foreign manipulation of information which led to unacceptable and even stupid comments by many, including foreign leaders.”

When asked by reporters if that included Trump’s comments, Macron said, “Among others, but he is part of it.”

“You know, at times like this you see who loves France and who does not,” he continued. “All the people –– it has to be said –– all the people who are running down our country right now are people who don’t love our country. So these people get on my nerves.”

Macron condemned violence that has spiraled out of the massive demonstrations, some of which have turned into rioting on city streets. He said the government’s objective now is “to hear and respect the concerns, the disagreements, sometimes the anger that is there to address their root causes to do so in an orderly manner.”

“But to separate them from the violence that has taken place, to which we will concede nothing,” he added.

On Saturday, more than half a million people took to the streets calling for better conditions in schools and demanding action on the high cost of living. French officials said they have arrested at least 2,500 people in connection with riots in some parts of the country.

Trump, Vice President Vance and right-wing leaders across Europe have blamed the protests on mass migration from the Middle East and Africa to Europe. Trump has attempted to tie these protests to what he claims could happen in the U.S. if Democrats win majorities in Congress after the midterm elections.

Vance on Monday shared a video of a 150-year-old town hall burning in France on social media and said he hoped “Americans are paying attention.”

“This is the future congressional Democrats seek for your country,” the vice president wrote.

Trump has also sought to tie the French protests to his economic messaging in the weeks remaining before the midterms, though polling has shown his economic policies have grown unpopular among Americans.

“When I go to North Carolina, today I’m going to be speaking about it. But Europe has to change its ways or you’re not going to have Europe left,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Tuesday ahead of a campaign rally in Greenville, N.C.