Violence sweeping France is being driven by far-left agitators rather than the students seen in TV coverage, according to columnist Rob Virtue, who witnessed the unrest in Toulouse this weekend.
Virtue, writing for the Daily Express, said the protesters seen pleading about school conditions on mainstream channels are in the minority. The majority of those causing destruction are masked thugs intent on making life worse for ordinary people.
What is happening on the streets
Reporting from Toulouse, where the protests are spreading, Virtue described scenes of looting targeted at shopkeepers and restaurateurs struggling during another financial crisis. Cars have been overturned and buildings set alight.
He noted there are very few protest signs or chants. The most common graffiti across the south of France is the slogan ACAB, an abbreviation that is a sweeping negative generalisation of the police force, often combined with anarchy symbols.
Who is behind the violence
While school conditions may have started the spark, Virtue argues the far left is pushing the violence, a fact he claims is not being reported enough in the UK. He dismissed the idea that attacking restaurants and shops will fix France's worsening debt and austerity problems.
He predicted the sickening scenes will continue and spread wider across Europe, with copycat riots already starting in Italy, Portugal and Spain. He called for the armed forces to be brought in to make clear the violence will not be tolerated.
Political implications
Virtue said the riots highlight what he called Andy Burnham's plot to dismantle Brexit, questioning whether Britain wants to look like France given its economy and the growing momentum of the left-wing.
