French President Emmanuel Macron sparked outrage and condemnation for his decision to attend an Elton John concert while the country was engulfed in violent protests. As thousands of French citizens took to the streets, Macron was busy dancing to Elton John’s “Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting.” Macron’s actions were deemed “totally irresponsible” by Thierry Mariani, an opposition minister from the National Rally Party. Mariani even quoted the book of Ecclesiastes from the Old Testament, “Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child.”
This is not the first time Macron has shown such callous disregard for the suffering of the French people. As France burns, Macron continues to live it up, enjoying the high life and hobnobbing with celebrities. Elton John’s husband, David Furnish, posted a photo of himself with Macron to Instagram, but the post has since been deleted after being heavily criticized by commenters who called it “wrong timing” and accused Macron of being “below everything.” One commenter even called Macron a “disgrace” for attending the concert while a child was killed by police under his government.
The protests were sparked by the killing of Nahel M. during a routine traffic stop in Nanterre, west of Paris. Despite the ongoing violence and destruction, Macron has refused to take responsibility for the chaos that is unfolding on the streets of France. With over 45,000 police deployed across the country to quell the riots, it is clear that Macron’s leadership has utterly failed.
To make matters worse, videos from Paris show protesters armed with belt-fed machine guns roaming the streets with impunity. In one particularly disturbing video, a group of protesters can be seen looting and destroying property, while another shows a bus driving through flames. The situation in France has escalated to such a degree that hundreds of Muslims in France held a procession for the deceased Nahel M.
It is clear that Macron is simply incapable of dealing with the ongoing crisis in France. His decision to attend a concert while riots rage on and citizens are killed in the streets is the latest example of his utter incompetence and lack of leadership. As French citizens suffer, Macron continues to party with the rich and famous. It is time for the French people to demand real change and a leader who actually cares about their safety and well-being.
