Macron Points to SNS as Background of Violent Protests: "Block When Out of Control"

TikTok, Snapchat, Twitter, and Others Under Investigation
Macron: "There Is a Problem with Social Media Being Used as a Tool for Gatherings"

French President Emmanuel Macron pointed to social networking services (SNS) as the background behind the protests that turned violent over the past week. President Macron sparked controversy by even mentioning the need to block SNS if violent protests continue in the future.

On the 4th (local time), German news agency dpa cited French broadcaster BFMTV, reporting that President Macron said in a meeting with mayors of areas where protests occurred that it is necessary to consider banning SNS use among young people during protests.

French President Emmanuel Macron pointed to social networking services (SNS) as the background for the protests that occurred over the past week turning into violent demonstrations.
[Photo by AP·Yonhap News]

That afternoon, President Macron called 241 mayors from regions affected by the protests to the ?lys?e Palace to analyze the reasons behind the riots and seek solutions, where he made these remarks.

President Macron said, "If protests get out of control, you may find yourselves in a situation where you have to regulate or block (social media)."

He added, "Such decisions should not be made impulsively," and "It is very fortunate that such measures have not been necessary."

Earlier, on the 30th of last month, President Macron criticized SNS for organizing violent protests and inciting violent acts among demonstrators. He also emphasized, "If SNS becomes a tool for gatherings or an instrument for attempted murder, that is a serious problem."

Protest participants used SNS to announce gathering locations and shared videos of arson and looting, which fueled violent protests among the youth.

Public broadcaster France24 reported, "SNS platforms like TikTok, Snapchat, and Twitter are once again under investigation, and decision-makers believe SNS is inciting riots."

French Local Governments Implement Control Measures on Items That Could Be Used in Violent Protests

While not going as far as blocking SNS, some local governments in France have already implemented control measures on items that could be used in violent protests.

French daily Le Parisien reported that a local government in northern France, near Belgium, banned the import of fireworks. This is because protesters used fireworks excessively during the recent unrest. As a result, crossing the border between Belgium and France while carrying fireworks is prohibited.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

A local government in northern France also banned the sale and possession of gasoline in containers and fireworks until mid-month. In France, since the incident on the 27th of last month where a 17-year-old Algerian-French boy named Nael was shot dead by police while trying to evade a traffic checkpoint, violent protests marked by arson and looting have erupted across the country.

Especially, videos showing close-range shootings spread on SNS, provoking public outrage. The French Ministry of the Interior announced that 72 people were arrested nationwide overnight. This is half the number compared to the 157 arrests made overnight from the 2nd to the 3rd.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.