Disinformation networks linked to Russia, as well as accounts associated with Israel and the US MAGA movement, sought to exploit recent unrest in France to promote political narratives around immigration and security, according to two reports by the European Union and the French Foreign Ministry.
The reports, cited by Reuters, found that unrest in Paris and other French cities was used as an opportunity to spread content portraying the French government as unable to control the situation, often linking the violence to immigration and radical Islamism.
European authorities said they found no evidence that foreign actors organised or incited the demonstrations. Instead, the reports focus on attempts to capitalise on the events through social media.
Operation Overload
An EU report covering the period from 7 to 21 October identified activity linked to the Russian disinformation network Operation Overload, which allegedly circulated videos designed to imitate Western news outlets.
Some of the content included false claims about migrants allegedly raping protesters or warnings of impending terrorist attacks.
According to the EU assessment, the aim was to depict the French leadership as weak and increasingly authoritarian, while amplifying fear and social division.
The network has reportedly operated since September 2023 and has previously been linked to campaigns aimed at discrediting Western institutions and undermining European support for Ukraine.
Millions of views
An internal assessment by the French Foreign Ministry recorded significant engagement with posts linking the unrest to immigration and Islamism.
Between 16 and 18 October:
- The 10 most widely viewed posts associated with pro-Russian circles generated 2.8 million views on X.
- The 10 most popular posts from officials, media outlets and influencers linked to the US MAGA movement attracted more than 49 million views.
- The 10 most-viewed posts from Israeli officials, government accounts, media organisations and influencers generated more than 35 million views.
The report notes that those figures measure reach and engagement, but do not in themselves prove that all of the posts formed part of a coordinated disinformation campaign.
A battle of narratives
Elina Treyger, a senior political scientist at the RAND Corporation, described such efforts as a prolonged "competition of narratives" capable of gradually influencing public perceptions of Western democracies.
According to Treyger, repeatedly linking social unrest with migration can contribute to political polarisation and strengthen more extreme political tendencies.
French President Emmanuel Macron said on 21 October that there were no clear indications of foreign involvement in the protests themselves, although he acknowledged the existence of what he described as foreign information manipulation.
The reports highlight how real episodes of social unrest can be used by external actors to spread misleading narratives and advance broader political objectives.
With information from Reuters and Protothema.gr
