Protests spread across Europe as right-wingers blame migration for France riots

Spanish bullfighter Francisco Rivera Ordonez has warned that civil unrest currently gripping France could soon spread to Spain, drawing a direct parallel to the arrival of the coronavirus pandemic. In a two-minute video posted to his Instagram account on October 20, 2026, titled "What future awaits us…?", Rivera expressed deep concern over the escalating violence in French cities. He stated that many believed the virus would never reach Spain, yet its impact was severe. He argued that similar skepticism exists regarding the current European protests, which he fears will eventually cross borders. Rivera pointed to Ceuta, a Spanish territory on the North African coast, as evidence that such instability is already nearby. He asked what kind of world society intends to leave for their children. The comments come amid intense tension in France, where student-led demonstrations against the public education system have evolved into broader protests against economic, political, and social crises. Images of burning streets, looted shops, and widespread material damage have circulated widely on social media and television. Rivera criticized the behavior of protesters, stating that theft is not protesting. He highlighted the helplessness of a woman defending her shop, a business essential for her family's survival. He questioned why authorities had not deployed the army to restore order, noting that police forces should possess superior force to halt violence directed at them and impose the law. He observed that it was unprecedented to see police fleeing from demonstrators. In France, the unrest intensified this weekend with clashes involving police and looting in several cities. A nineteenth-century building in Limoges caught fire after individuals attacked the town hall during a protest that had initially proceeded peacefully. The collapse of the city hall’s bell tower caused shock both domestically and internationally. In Lyon, the historic tourism office was reduced to a smoking shell. Prior to these disturbances, hundreds of thousands of people, including students, parents, trade unions, and supporters of the former Yellow Vest movement, joined marches across the country. Students have been protesting for a month regarding the state of the educational system, demanding repairs for dilapidated buildings, smaller class sizes, and reforms to university admissions. These grievances have expanded to include rising living costs, fuel prices, and cuts to public services. Similar protests have emerged elsewhere in Europe. In Belgium, students in Brussels and Liège demonstrated against education cuts, labor conditions, and inequality. While initial marches were peaceful, confrontations broke out around noon in Brussels. Police used water cannons and tear gas, while some participants destroyed public furniture, vehicles, and set a container on fire. Protests also took place in Milan, Turin, Bologna, Italy, and Lisbon, Portugal, driven by concerns over inflation. European right-wing politicians have attempted to link the French riots to immigration. Following failed efforts by Denmark, Poland, and Italy to have the EU criticize Spain’s migration regularization policies, leaders have placed immigration at the center of the narrative surrounding the violence. There is no evidence that immigrants led the riots. US President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that migrants have taken France and called for immediate border closures. Historian Pablo Stefanoni noted that far-right groups often frame such violence as a result of Muslim immigration, using narratives of Western decline to maintain power.