My Word: When Europe fiddles and burns - opinion
Liat Collins argues that the 2026 French riots are not mere protests but an assault on national identity, civic values, and the security of Europe's Jews. She cites the burning of Limoges city hall, looting on the Champs-Élysées, and the prevalence of foreign flags and Arabic chants among rioters, attributing the violence to immigrants and their descendants.
In an opinion column, Liat Collins argues that the 2026 riots engulfing France are not mere protests but a fundamental assault on French national identity, civic values, and the security of Europe's Jews. She opens with the burning of the historic city hall in Limoges, describing it as symbolic of the destruction of civic pride. The author contends that the riots, ostensibly triggered by high school student complaints, are being fanned by immigrants, illegal migrants, and their descendants, noting the prevalence of foreign flags from Morocco and Algeria, Palestinian flags, and Arabic chants including the word 'Intifada.' Collins criticizes President Macron's recognition of a Palestinian state, calling it a reward for terrorism, and quotes Commentary's Abe Greenwald on multiple 'fatal conditions' facing Europe including unassimilated immigration, Islamism, and antisemitism. She notes that both far-left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon and far-right front-runner Marine Le Pen hope to gain from the protests, neither boding well for the Jewish community, and predicts a wave of aliyah to Israel.