The French government focuses on riot narratives to avoid addressing the deep socioeconomic failures and student grievances fueling recent unrest.
Recent violent protests in France have captured global attention. Smashed windows and burning fires have caused widespread public outrage. While some criminals act opportunistically, much of this anger comes from years of worsening living conditions.
However, the French government uses these images of chaos to justify a heavy police response. Officials want to look like protectors of order. They ignore their own failures to fix the problems that caused this unrest.
These violent acts do not change the valid reasons for student protests. Many young people have suffered severe injuries from police weapons. Reports show teenagers losing eyes or suffering broken jaws during these clashes.
Next, the scale of state repression remains staggering. Authorities have detained thousands of people since September. Most of those in custody are minors. This movement faces some of the toughest police pressure seen this century.
Also, the government ignores the quieter violence of poverty. Millions of French citizens now live below the poverty line. Meanwhile, a small number of billionaires hold massive amounts of the nation's wealth.
Meanwhile, the school system suffers from deep neglect. Students in many areas deal with crumbling buildings and poor sanitation. Some schools lack basic supplies like chairs or safe drinking water.
Furthermore, government spending per student has dropped significantly since 2017. Millions of teaching hours go unfulfilled every year. Students want the state to address these structural issues immediately.
Instead of helping, President Macron focuses on security measures. He deployed tens of thousands of officers to control the streets. He also blames political rivals for the instability rather than discussing policy changes.
Finally, the government waits for the movement to lose steam. They hope fear and exhaustion will end the protests. This strategy ignores the fact that people cannot ignore their poor living conditions forever.