Dreher urges Army deployment and deportations in France

Rod Dreher called on Oct. 17 for France to send in the Army, restore order and deport people without delay or apology. He asked whether the French would instead let the "3rd World and leftist rabble" have their country. He closed by naming two French politicians: "Send Macron & Melenchon too¹."

“from the violence of the extreme left”

Dreher's post, in full.

AFP reported that nationwide marches against soaring inflation degenerated into clashes between police and protesters, widespread looting and multiple blazes. Paris Mayor Emmanuel Gregoire said whole streets had been devastated as masked young men torched parked cars and ransacked shops².

The violence began on the sidelines of cost-of-living marches that the interior ministry said drew 550,000 people, while the CGT union, which took part, said 800,000 turned out. AFP reporters in Paris saw masked, gloved groups disconnect security cameras before smashing their way into shops. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said late Saturday that 1,200 people had been arrested and 150 police officers hurt².

The destruction reached local government: AFP reported that masked protesters broke into the Limoges town hall, more than 140 years old, and set a blaze that largely destroyed it, according to the region's top official². Euronews reported that Lecornu blamed ultraleft groups for orchestrating violence in several cities and said delinquents joined them to pillage and destroy³.

The unrest followed weeks of student protests, and AFP reported that elections to replace President Emmanuel Macron are six months away. Marine Le Pen said she would protect the French "from the violence of the extreme left" and claimed Jean-Luc Mélenchon's party had "legitimised the violence." Mélenchon, who had supported the demonstrations, urged protesters to stay away from looting, calling it "contrary to our methods²."

Families deserve safe streets and a government that holds vandals accountable. With elections six months away, parents should judge that accountability by results. Macron vowed that those responsible for vandalism, attacks on offices and businesses, and looting would be "prosecuted and punished²."

Sources

1. @roddreher on X, 2026-10-17: Do the French have the will to fight back, with everything they have? Or are they just going to let the 3rd World and leftist rabble have their country? Send in the Army, guns locked and loaded, & restore order. And then deport w/o delay or apology. Send Macron, 2026-10-17
2. Clashes, blazes and wide-scale looting grip France on day of protests | AFP.com
3. 'No room for violence,' says Macron after rioters and looters hijack peaceful demonstrations across France | Euronews