French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte attended a Céline Dion concert at Paris’s Plénitude Arena on Friday night, drawing sharp criticism as violent unrest continued to spread across France.
The couple watched the performance from a private box, singing and clapping along, even as cities nationwide saw arson, looting and clashes between protesters and police. Critics quickly accused Macron of being disconnected from the crisis unfolding in the streets.
One protest organizer in Paris, Lina Bernard, compared the Macrons to the last French monarchs executed during the 1789 revolution. She told the Mail on Sunday the couple “were acting like Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette,” adding: “They appear to think that there is no problem with anything.”
Hundreds Arrested Nationwide
French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said roughly 400 people were arrested across the country over the 48 hours leading up to Saturday night. He reported that 110 marches drew about 550,000 participants nationwide, though organizers—including the CGT labor union and student groups—put the figure closer to 800,000.
Nuñez attributed much of the violence to what he called “extremely violent, radical far-left groups” that “sought confrontations with police and targeted public buildings, including city halls and local government offices.” He said these groups had been joined by others looting shops, and noted that most of those arrested were adults.
In Lyon, a demonstrator wrapped in a French flag stood before the city’s burning tourism office during protests on October 17. In Paris, police deployed tear gas and water cannons at Place de la République to repel masked demonstrators throwing fireworks and paving stones.
Political Stakes Ahead of 2027
Macron is set to leave office next year, with polls suggesting the April presidential election could become a contest between National Rally leader Marine Le Pen and Jean-Luc Mélenchon of the hard-left La France Insoumise party.
