Macron lashes out at foreign leaders' comments over unrest in France

French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday, during a visit to Qatar, sharply criticized remarks by foreign leaders about the unrest that hit several French cities over the weekend, calling them "unacceptable and stupid." His words were a clear response to U.S. President Donald Trump, who linked the disorder to immigration.

What Macron said

Speaking to reporters in Qatar, Macron rejected claims that France has been overrun by "hordes" of migrants and Islamists. He described such claims as completely false.

Trump's remarks

Earlier this week, Trump declared that France is "being conquered, looted, and burned to the ground by migrants, jihadists, and Communists."

What happened in France

At the weekend, hundreds of thousands of people across France demonstrated peacefully over the cost of living and conditions in schools. The protests were accompanied by disorder, however: public buildings were set on fire, stores were looted and there were clashes with riot police. The unrest drew widespread condemnation in France and abroad, including in the United States.

In the U.S., Trump is using the situation in France to rally voters ahead of the midterm elections in November.