France protests: Indian Embassy urges caution, shares helpline

The Indian Embassy in Paris has advised Indian nationals in France and those planning to visit to stay alert, avoid demonstrations and comply with local authorities’ instructions amid unrest and localised curfews, India Today reported on October 21.

The advisory asks Indians to keep away from large gatherings and crowded locations where protests are under way. For emergencies, it lists the embassy’s telephone number, +33 6 48 34 00 63, and email address, cons.paris@mea.gov.in.

Curfews follow violence; more rallies planned

According to the report, protests over living costs, school conditions and declining public services escalated into arson, looting and confrontations with police in cities including Paris, Marseille and Lyon. Shops and public buildings suffered damage.

Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin said more than 2,500 people had been taken into custody. Authorities also said hundreds of suspects had been referred for prosecution; those figures do not establish that the people detained were guilty of offences.

Targeted overnight curfews and limits on gatherings were imposed in parts of Paris and other cities. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said the restrictions had helped bring the situation under control, while acknowledging weaknesses in the security response.

Further demonstrations are planned for Thursday and Saturday. Student union UNEF has called for rallies, and groups associated with the Yellow Vest movement have announced protests over fuel prices. The government has promised stronger security deployments, while Lecornu has met trade unions to discuss public safety and the right to protest.

Labour unions are also planning a nationwide strike on November 5 over household costs and reductions in public services.

Macron rejects Trump's account of the unrest

US President Donald Trump linked the violence to immigration, blaming migrants, jihadists and communists and invoking France in attacks on his domestic political opponents ahead of the US midterm elections. The report offers no evidence establishing his attribution of responsibility.

Speaking in Qatar on Wednesday, French President Emmanuel Macron criticised foreign leaders for exploiting the unrest for their own politics. When asked whether he meant Trump, he confirmed that the US president was among those he was referring to.

Macron rejected claims that France had been overrun by migrants and Islamists. He also alleged that some leaders were spreading disinformation through AI-generated images of incidents that had not occurred. The report does not identify specific images or substantiate who produced or circulated them.

The French president pledged to prevent a recurrence of the violence during the next planned demonstrations.

Fuel supplies also on the Gulf agenda

Macron’s Gulf visit also focused on energy partnerships as France faced pressure from rising fuel costs. The report, citing other reports, said the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain had pledged a combined additional 200,000 tonnes of diesel each month.

That figure describes promised supplies, not confirmed deliveries. The energy talks come as fuel prices and wider cost-of-living concerns remain central issues behind the protests.