Sunday 2 July 2023

France seems to be filled with hatred

France is one of the favourite holiday locations for Brits. But now for weeks we have seen nothing but hatred in the streets of cities across the nation. The violence has been staggering. It's now a country in turmoil. The point-blank fatal shooting of a 17-year-old sitting in his car with a policeman literally aiming his gun at his chest through the window started it all off. But it appears to have provoked a mass outcry of hatred against the police and against the living conditions in so many of the dark suburbs of Paris and other cities. Whether Emmanuel Macron is to blame for this hatred it is difficult to judge. He did set himself up as a kind of old-style emperor which wouldn't have gone down well amongst the immigrant communities struggling without jobs and hope of a decent future. But in reality this problem has been building up for decades. Past French presidents have all played their part in failing to tackle the growing social unrest. Will Macron be the man to improve the lives of the immigrants? Right now Macron is reacting to the violence by putting more and more police on the streets armed with tear gas and anti-riot gear. While that may be unavoidable to protect French citizens who are not rioting, it won't be the answer long term.

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