Left-wing suspect arrested after 19th century French city hall torched in riots

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Albanian police have clashed with anti-government protesters for an eighth consecutive day in the capital, Tirana, as demonstrators call for the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama, according to the Associated Press.

Similar to unrest sweeping across Europe, Albania’s protests have been fueled by discontent over rising fuel costs, the education system and a housing crisis, the AP said.

During the protests, demonstrators reportedly have hurled rocks, flares and firebombs at police, who responded with tear gas and water cannons.

Rama condemned the protests Tuesday, saying attempts to force political change through violence would never be allowed, according to the AP.

“A wave of stones, an attempt to overthrow the government and change those in power through the imposition of violence — something that will never be allowed to happen, in any form or for any reason,” Rama said Tuesday after a meeting with teachers and representatives of Tirana’s schools.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Tuesday condemned riots that have erupted across Europe over rising living costs, urging police to respond lawfully and calling for accountability for protesters who commit acts of violence and vandalism.

“I deplore the actions of those exploiting protests to commit acts of violence and vandalism against public and private property. They should be held individually accountable,” Turk said.

“I am concerned by reports of unnecessary and excessive use of force against protesters, including children. States must ensure that any law enforcement response remains lawful, necessary and proportionate. Allegations of unlawful use of force must be investigated promptly, effectively and independently, with accountability and effective remedies for victims.”

Türk called for “inclusive and safe dialogue” between governments and protesters to prioritize human rights concerns.

“I further urge States to engage protesters, particularly young people, in meaningful, inclusive and constructive dialogue, and to take concrete steps to address legitimate and fundamental human rights concerns over education, public services, housing, the rising cost of living and inequality,” he said.

Italy on Tuesday announced a series of tougher security measures following reports of looting and vandalism that rocked Milan and other cities over the weekend.

The measures include deploying 500 additional military personnel in Milan, requiring offenders or their parents to pay for damaged property, and imposing harsher penalties on protesters who engage in violence.

The additional military personnel will work alongside law enforcement through the end of year, while the government plans to expand judicial resources to ensure legal consequences for offenders, including some teenagers.

Under the measures, minors or their parents would also be required to pay for property they damage, the council said.

“Of course, they can oppose it, but in the meantime, the parents of that boy who enjoyed smashing everything will have to pay. And whoever suffered the damage will be able to recover everything, from that family's assets, even from any money the state may owe them,” the council said in a release statement.

The council added that nearly 200 officers have been injured and property damage in Milan alone is estimated at around 1 million euros, citing Confcommercio, Italy’s largest business association.

The U.S. Embassy in France is warning Americans to steer clear of violent protests as unrest sparked curfews and raised concerns about travel disruptions across the country.

The riots — fueled by a range of grievances, including rising living costs and mass migration — have been reported across France, with protests reported in cities including Paris, Lille and Lyon.

Authorities have imposed localized curfews as a result.

The embassy said in a Monday statement that partial curfews had been introduced in several French cities, with additional restrictions possible.

"Following the October 17 protests that turned violent, media report the Prime Minister’s office introduced partial curfews for Monday, October 19 and Tuesday, October 20 in several cities across France, including Lille," the embassy said.

"Media report more curfews may follow for parts of Paris and in prefectures across the country, and that scattered protests could continue."

This is an excerpt of an article by Fox News Digital's Andrea Margolis.

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu on Tuesday accused far-left groups of organizing “insurrectionary” plans linked to the riots that erupted over the weekend.

During a raucous parliamentary session, Lecornu blasted “the planning, in certain locations, of an insurrectionary plan led by far-left and ultra-left fringe groups,” according to the French National Assembly.

Lecornu said the riots were joined by criminals seeking to “loot and destroy” property, according to the French National Assembly.

"No one will impose their political agenda through violence,” he added.

"Peaceful demonstrations have their rightful place in our Republic. Arson, looting, and attacks have none," he said.

The violent protests over the cost of living in Paris have prompted French authorities to deploy military forces to reinforce police ahead of Saturday’s planned demonstrations, Reuters reported.

President Donald Trump on Tuesday dismissed concerns that a socialist agenda could spark unrest in the U.S. similar to riots in France, arguing that the two countries are fundamentally different.

Trump cited economic growth and his administration’s immigration crackdown as two key differences that sets the U.S. apart from its European counterpart.

“We've done a couple of things different. Number one, I mentioned the word growth,” Trump said. “We have more growth than this country has ever had, and we have more growth in any country in the world is having right now.”

“France has no growth. France is growing the other way. And that's because its social programs are brutal,” he said.

Trump also blamed France’s immigration policies for allowing large numbers of unchecked immigrants to enter the country, drawing a comparison to illegal immigration under the Biden administration.

“It's an immigration problem. You have people that poured into France and they were also unchecked, unvetted, like with Biden, what he was doing, we don't do that," Trump said.

He further claimed that no one had entered the U.S. illegally in the past 17 months, crediting his administration’s border policies for the country’s economic growth.

“We have tremendous growth and we have closed borders,” Trump said. “So for 17 months, not one person has come into our country illegally. Think of that. Not one.”

President Donald Trump on Tuesday addressed whether he would endorse Marine Le Pen ahead of next year’s French presidential election, revealing that he does not know the conservative politician.

“I don't know her. I haven't met her,” Trump said.

Despite his unfamiliarity with Le Pen, Trump suggested she had been politically targeted when a French court convicted her of embezzlement in March 2025, threatening to derail her presidential ambitions. He added that the conviction came when she appeared to be leading in early polls.

“I thought she was badly treated. It would look like a weaponization to me,” Trump said.

In July, Le Pen was cleared to run in the 2027 presidential race after a Paris appeals court shortened the effective duration of her political ban. She is also appealing her conviction to France’s highest court.

President Donald Trump on Tuesday reiterated the possibility of pulling back from European allies, questioning their support for U.S. foreign policy efforts and criticizing their handling of domestic unrest.

Trump said that while the administration was doing well in its efforts involving Iran, he had contacted several European leaders to gauge their willingness to help but was disappointed by their responses.

“We're doing very well. We don't need any help. But I was testing them. I just called individual presidents and prime ministers to ask. Would they like to help us? And they said no,” Trump said.

Trump also pointed to the hundreds of billions of dollars the U.S. spends on defense annually, arguing that the spending largely supports NATO’s military capabilities.

President Donald Trump warned Tuesday that Europe must get its act together amid mounting unrest in France, saying the continent could face a bleak future if countries fail to address the situation.

“They have to straighten out their act. Otherwise there won't be a Europe left. There'll be nothing to be friendly with,” Trump said.

Trump attributed the unrest largely to immigration, arguing that some people arriving in European countries do not embrace the nations’ culture or values.

“I mean, it's a very much of an immigration problem. You have people coming into countries that don't like the countries,” Trump said.

“They don't like the art. They don't like anything about the country. Aand they don't like the people. They have no reason not to do what they did in France.”

He further described the unrest in France as far more serious than a typical protest, characterizing the demonstrations as a full-scale revolution that has yet to subside.

“I have never seen anything like that. That wasn't a little bit of a riot. That wasn’t a little bit of a protest. That was a full on revolution. And it continues,” he said.

Marine Le Pen is positioning herself as a leading law-and-order candidate ahead of next spring’s presidential election, seizing on mounting unrest in France to criticize President Emmanuel Macron.

Le Pen, a conservative politician and member of France’s National Assembly, released a video address Sunday portraying the riots as evidence of a deepening crisis of public trust and authority.

“We are living through a profound crisis of trust, of authority that poses a threat to democracy,” Le Pen said in a post on X. “This observation must alert us: our country is caught in a vise, or even taken hostage, between violence and powerlessness.”

Le Pen has run for president in previous elections and is known for her populist, anti-immigration platform.

With Macron barred from seeking a third consecutive term, Le Pen is positioning herself as the best candidate ahead of the 2027 race.

France's Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said Tuesday that "I deeply regret what happened" and "I accept my share of responsibility" following massive protests that swept across the country over the weekend, Reuters reported.

Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu added there were shortcomings in the government's response to the demonstrations, mentioning intelligence failures and police deployments that were too static, according to Reuters.

The news agency also cited Lecornu as saying that law enforcement made an error by not cancelling planned police leave.

Police in France said Tuesday that "public peace was restored" in Paris following a curfew put in place by authorities, but it will remain in effect until further notice. 

"The measure continues today and for as long as it proves necessary," the Préfecture de Police wrote on X. 

Paris Police Chief Patrice Faure said Tuesday that 200 investigators "are already mobilized to identify the perpetrators of the break-ins and looting from this weekend and thus be able to bring them to justice. 

"Social media, surveillance video footage, trace evidence reports — they are pursuing every lead available to them. We will not let up," he added. 

FIRST ON FOX: The State Department warns that antifascist groups are planning to participate in a "potentially more confrontational protest" this weekend as the far-right National Rally holds its political convention just days after widespread riots overwhelmed police and exposed major security failures.

As party leader Marine Le Pen prepares for the gathering on Oct. 24–25 in Orléans, France, an internal document obtained by Fox News Digital cautions that antagonists are planning more demonstrations near the convention venue that could "expose further security shortcomings and deepen political tensions."

The warning comes at a particularly dangerous political moment for President Emmanuel Macron, considering the same unrest that exposed his government's security vulnerabilities could also give National Rally and center-right parties an opening to challenge his record, according to the State Department assessment.

Now, French authorities face another high-stakes security test as demonstrators prepare to converge on the congress of a party that could benefit politically from the previous unrest.

The demonstrations are expected to coincide with the National Rally's two-day party congress, where Le Pen is set to launch her presidential campaign. Left-wing parties, unions and activist groups are planning a march Saturday, while antifascist groups have announced plans for a separate protest Sunday near the convention venue, according to the State Department assessment.

National Rally President Jordan Bardella has ruled out canceling the congress, while local authorities are preparing additional security restrictions around the gathering.

French President Emmanuel Macron pressed ahead with a trip to the Arabian Gulf as violent riots rocked France, fueling fresh criticism of his leadership as his government struggled to contain the unrest.

What began weeks earlier as purportedly student-led demonstrations over classroom conditions escalated into widespread riots involving a range of political and ideological factions across France over the weekend.

Images and videos posted to social media on Saturday and Sunday showed groups of men waving foreign flags while engaging in acts of destruction on the streets of France's major cities. A Fox News Digital investigation found that communist organizations, Islamic advocacy groups, labor unions and environmental activists were involved in the unrest.

Amid this backdrop, Macron was planning a trip to the Arabian Gulf for energy negotiations. The chaos in his country did not dissuade him from traveling. He left for Kuwait on Sunday, shortly after denouncing the "unbridled" violence of the rioters in a nationwide address.

The French president, defending his travel to the Arabian Gulf, noted that heightened fuel prices were, in his telling, one of the causes behind the ongoing riots.

French officials say that they have arrested over 2,500 people in connection with the demonstrations. Though Macron acknowledges failures in security, he declined the resignation of his interior minister.

Macron received criticism from the left and the right for his handling of the riots. Marine Le Pen, a right-wing contender for the presidency, charged that France under Macron was a country "caught in a vice between violence and impotence." From the left, socialist presidential candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon accused Macron’s government of relying on "inaction and police brutality" to quell the riots.

EXCLUSIVE: The top House Republican overseeing Europe policy is blaming the riots roiling French cities on mass migration, and warning the U.S. could soon follow suit.

Rep. Keith Self, R-Texas, told Fox News Digital that he was not surprised by the violent demonstrations across France — and moreover, argued they were a long time coming.

"They've been allowing this to happen for years and years, so they are reaping what they sowed," Self said. "We're also trying to get a handle on our mass migration consequences, just like France should have done years ago. That's why I say this is a lesson to America. We are watching the future of America in France and the U.K., frankly."

Self is the chairman of the Subcommittee on Europe in the House Foreign Affairs Committee. He is also a co-founder alongside Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, of the Sharia-Free America Caucus.

Democrats have criticized the group as Islamophobic, and it's been condemned by groups like the U.S. Council of Muslim Organizations.

But Self doubled down on his beliefs, suggesting France's growing Muslim population is at least partially responsible for the riots.

"They've got, what, 7% now are Muslims in France? And, you know, when you reach that percentage — and very concentrated in some large cities — that gives you the tipping point that everybody talks about," he argued.

French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said Tuesday that France will deploy some military forces to help out police during protests that are set for this upcoming Saturday, according to Reuters. 

The move will be made "mostly to free police and gendarmes in their mission to maintain order," Nunez reportedly told French lawmakers. 

Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu also said Tuesday that a "massive" police deployment is set for Saturday, with a goal for an "immediate return to order" in the country, Reuters reported. 

French Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin said Tuesday that 149 people have been put into jails following riots across the country over the weekend.

According to the Justice Ministry, of the roughly 2,500 people arrested since Saturday, more than 800 have been sent before prosecutors, most of whom were either put on trial immediately or ordered to appear at a later hearing.

In Paris alone, about 300 people have been sent before prosecutors following the Oct. 17 protests, the city prosecutor’s office said in a statement.

In Lille, Darmanin said, three men aged 20 to 25 with no criminal record were each sentenced to 10 months in prison and imprisoned immediately for looting a video game store in the city’s old town.

Darmanin also said he asked prosecutors to appeal any sentence they considered too lenient, according to The Associated Press.

“People with no criminal record ending up in prison for property crimes is extremely rare, if not unheard of,” he added.

The Associated Press contributed to this post.

For some French Jews, Saturday's unrest brought an unsettling warning: conceal outward signs of Jewish identity and avoid gathering outside synagogues. 

One community member told Fox News Digital that some congregations had even canceled afternoon prayers on the Sabbath as demonstrations across France descended into violence.

Ahead of the protests on Saturday, he said, as a precaution, "Lots of synagogues sent out emails to their people saying, 'We're canceling Mincha on Shabbat afternoon. Please don't go out. It's going to be dangerous,'" Samuel Arrouas, a French Jewish community member who divides his time between Paris and Israel, told Fox News Digital.

Mincha is the Jewish afternoon prayer service. Arrouas, who returned to Israel before Saturday's protests, described his shock over the messages. "I'm 40 years old. First time I heard this," he said.

Arrouas said warnings also advised Jews against visibly wearing kippahs, traditional skullcaps, or tzitzit, ritual fringes worn by observant Jewish men. Worshipers were discouraged from lingering outside synagogues after services. "You go to prayers, and you immediately leave," he said.

Before leaving France, Arrouas said he encountered masked demonstrators carrying Palestinian flags near Paris Dauphine University.

"It's very scary," he said. "When you're Jewish and you pass in front of such a scene, the only thing you want to do is just get away."

The concerns emerged as approximately 550,000 people demonstrated across France on Oct. 17 against rising fuel prices, the cost of living and deteriorating public services, including schools. The demonstrations were masked rioters clashed with police, looted businesses and set fire to vehicles and buildings in Paris, Marseille and other cities. France's Interior Ministry reported approximately 2,400 arrests.