The State Department has issued a level two advisory to American tourists in France, including these disturbing words: “Avoid demonstrations and areas of unrest.”
What is the State Department talking about?
Protests began in France five weeks ago, Thursday September 17, in Créteil, a suburb over seven miles southeast of Paris, with student demonstrations triggered by incidents like a math teacher quitting and not being replaced in time to allow the students to get through make-it-or-break-it exams that would determine whether or not the high schoolers would get into university and have a shot at a high-paying career.
At another school in Créteil, Lycée Antoine-de-Saint-Exupéry, it was the teachers protesting because there was no one to teach mathematics, French and history. Some students went without math classes for ten months. Students joined the teachers’ protests and blockaded the school on September 21.
In yet another school, two math teachers were transferred and the students went without math classes for a week. That may seem like a petty interruption—unless it determines your career, income, and status for the rest of your life.
The mood of protest continued to build slowly, like kindling catching fire twig by twig. On October 7th, a call went out on Tik Tok, Instagram and X calling for demonstrations nationwide. And on October 17th, just a few days ago, the protests turned into riots that swept the country. On that day, over half a million people demonstrated in 110 French cities. 2,400 were arrested. A thousand police were injured. More than 3,000 shops were looted or damaged. And an estimated billion dollars worth of damage was done.
No wonder tourists were in danger. One wealthy Dutch visitor was in Paris to visit a friend and moved his wife and kids out of their expensive hotel near the famous Place de République because he said it was like a war zone. Even the Louvre was shut down. Meanwhile, curfews have been instituted and security has been ratcheted up. But that’s the least of it.
The flame of demonstrations is spreading. It is showing up in Spain, Belgium, Italy, Portugal, Greece, Ireland, Germany, and Albania. And someone is reaping the rewards: Russia. For example, TV station France24 points out that the chaos is dramatically boosting the odds that the right wing’s Marine le Pen will win France’s upcoming 2027 election. Le Pen was once propped up with a loan of over ten million dollars from a Russian bank, money that some sources believe came from Vladimir Putin.
Le Pen is about to pay it back. As soon as she gets into office, she plans to drop all financial support for Ukraine.
But keep your eyes peeled. The real trouble will come this weekend. Remember the Yellow Jackets, the Gilets Jaunes, who took over the streets of Paris and 300 other locations in 2018 with demonstrations that involved crowds of 280,000 and that lasted well over a year? They’re back. The Gilets Jaunes plan demonstrations starting this Saturday, October 24th, just days from now. They are throwing 341 separate actions and a march across Paris to demand increased purchasing power, public services, and the really big one, the resignation of French President Emanuel Macron.
The authorities begged the Gilets Jaunes organizers to call the event off. The organizers refused. They said that to shut down their freedom of speech would be to give the rioters of last weekend a big win.
France’s security authorities fear the worst. They have vowed to augment the police with between five and ten thousand soldiers. But as news desk reporters at the French television station France24 have pointed out, there’s little that military men trained to kill and to hold territory can do to stop rioters when they have massive assault rifles strapped across their chests.
But this is just the beginning. French labor unions have called for a national strike and street demonstrations November 5th. And when French unions demonstrate, they can draw crowds in the millions
One more tiny thing. It’s wise to remember that the French have a gift for street demonstrations that turn into riots. Remember that the French were inspired by a revolution that started with a property-damaging demonstration in 1773, the Boston Tea Party. The French response to the American Revolution was a violent street demonstration that turned into its own unique revolution in 1789. That riot-born revolution not only did away with the office of the king, it cut off the king’s head. And the head of his wife, Marie Antoinette. Not to mention over the next few years removing the heads of roughly 17,000 aristocrats and assorted citizens.
What’s more, keep in mind that, astonishingly, the current riots are nothing compared to the French demonstrations and riots of 1968, when between seven and nine million workers took to the streets. And rioters burned cars and battled with police, almost bringing down the French government.
Something in the French soul seems to love demonstrations that turn into riots. Now the problem will be to what extent these riots catch fire in more of Europe.
______
About the author: Howard Bloom of the Howard Bloom Institute has been called the Einstein, Newton, Darwin, and Freud of the 21st century by Britain’s Channel 4 TV. Bloom’s new book is The Case of the Sexual Cosmos: Everything You Know About Nature is Wrong. Says Harvard’s Ellen Langer of The Case of the Sexual Cosmos, Bloom “argues that we are not savaging the earth as some would have it, but instead are growing the cosmos. A fascinating read.” One of Bloom’s eight previous books–Global Brain—was the subject of a symposium thrown by the Office of the Secretary of Defense including representatives from the State Department, the Energy Department, DARPA, IBM, and MIT. Bloom’s work has been published in The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Wired, Psychology Today, and the Scientific American. Not to mention in scientific journals like Biosystems, New Ideas in Psychology, and PhysicaPlus. Says Joseph Chilton Pearce, author of Evolution’s End and The Crack in the Cosmic Egg, “I have finished Howard Bloom’s [first two] books, The Lucifer Principle and Global Brain, in that order, and am seriously awed, near overwhelmed by the magnitude of what he has done. I never expected to see, in any form, from any sector, such an accomplishment. I doubt there is a stronger intellect than Bloom’s on the planet.” For more, see http://howardbloom.net or http://howardbloom.institute
______
References:
France 24. “En direct : 1 200 interpellations en France, ‘aucune place pour la violence’, dénonce Macron.” October 17, 2026. https://www.france24.com/fr/france/20261017-france-en-direct-mobilisation-17-octobre-gilets-jaunes-lyceens-font-converger-leurs-coleres-dans-la-rue.
BFMTV. “Manifestations du 17 octobre : le ministre de l’Intérieur affirme que 550 000 personnes ont manifesté dans toute la France.” October 17, 2026. https://www.bfmtv.com/politique/gouvernement/manifestations-du-17-octobre-le-ministre-de-l-interieur-affirme-que-550-000-personnes-ont-manifeste-dans-toute-la-france_AV-202610170372.html.
Le Monde. “Mobilisation du 17 octobre : une foule de manifestants, des violences et des pillages, récit d’une longue journée en France qui a viré au chaos.” October 18, 2026. https://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2026/10/18/mobilisation-du-17-octobre-des-manifestations-d-ampleur-conclues-dans-le-chaos_6797034_3224.html.
Le Figaro. “Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Limoges… : les images des scènes de violences lors des manifestations du 17 octobre.” October 17, 2026. https://www.lefigaro.fr/actualite-france/paris-lyon-marseille-les-images-des-scenes-de-violences-et-de-scenes-lors-des-manifestations-du-17-octobre-20261017.
Le Parisien. “Mobilisation lycéenne : comment le mouvement a-t-il basculé dans la violence ?” October 3, 2026. https://www.leparisien.fr/societe/mobilisation-lyceenne-comment-le-mouvement-a-t-il-bascule-dans-la-violence-03-10-2026-5HD7YXRYZNA5DFX4EUOPKK5X7I.php.
franceinfo. “À la genèse du mouvement lycéen, un établissement du Val-de-Marne, où le calme est revenu depuis.” October 5, 2026. https://www.franceinfo.fr/replay-radio/le-tour-de-la-question/a-la-genese-du-mouvement-lyceen-un-etablissement-du-val-de-marne-ou-le-calme-est-revenu-depuis_8222884.html.
BFMTV. “D’un lycée de Créteil à un mouvement d’ampleur nationale : le récit de la semaine où la colère lycéenne s’est propagée à tout le pays.” October 3, 2026. https://www.bfmtv.com/societe/d-un-lycee-de-creteil-a-un-mouvement-d-ampleur-nationale-le-recit-de-la-semaine-ou-la-colere-lyceenne-s-est-propagee-a-tout-le-pays_GN-202610030059.html.
Le Figaro. “Violences du 17 octobre : ‘Il y a clairement une énorme poussée’, des gilets jaunes annoncent un ‘acte II’ samedi prochain.” October 19, 2026. https://www.lefigaro.fr/actualite-france/violences-du-17-octobre-il-y-a-clairement-une-enorme-poussee-des-gilets-jaunes-annoncent-un-acte-ii-samedi-prochain-20261019.
Mediapart. “Rentrée 2026 : la colère lycéenne” (dossier). Updated October 20, 2026. https://www.mediapart.fr/journal/france/dossier/rentree-2026-la-colere-lyceenne.
France 24 News Desk, “Student Mobilization and Public Sector Strikes Cause Widespread Disruption Across France,” *France 24*, October 18, 2026.
Agence France-Presse, “Yellow Vests Movement Calls for Renewed Demonstrations Across France,” *Le Monde*, October 19, 2026.
Hannah Arendt, *On Revolution* (New York: Viking Press, 1963), 112–140.
Julian Jackson, *France on Trial: The May 1968 Events and the Gaullist Crisis* (London: Oxford University Press, 2011), 45–82.
Fox News. “Americans Encouraged to Avoid Cities across France as Violent Riots Ravage Nation: US Embassy.” October 20, 2026. https://www.foxnews.com/travel/americans-warned-paris-travel-violence-looting-tear-gas-filled-streets.
Reuters. “Mass Protests in France Spiral into Worst Riots in Years.” October 17, 2026. https://www.reuters.com/world/students-trade-unions-yellow-vests-set-protest-across-france-2026-10-17/.
Reuters. “Macron Urges Calm as France Counts Cost of Worst Unrest in Years.” October 18, 2026. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/france-faces-aftermath-worst-unrest-years-2026-10-18/.
Reuters. “France’s Macron Vows No Repeat of Riots as Yellow Vests Mobilise.” October 21, 2026. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/french-government-faces-fresh-test-yellow-vests-mobilise-2026-10-21/.
U.S. Embassy & Consulates in France. “Security Alert: U.S. Embassy Paris, France – October 19, 2026.” October 19, 2026. https://fr.usembassy.gov/security-alert-u-s-embassy-paris-france-october-19-2026/.
BBC News. “France’s School Protests Are about More than Broken Classrooms.” October 9, 2026. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/crq5nlqnn184o.
The New York Times. “What to Know About France’s High School Protests.” October 3, 2026. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/03/world/europe/high-school-student-protest-what-to-know.html.
The Local France. “France’s ‘Yellow Vests’ Announce More Protests for Saturday.” October 19, 2026. https://www.thelocal.fr/20261019/breaking-frances-yellow-vests-announce-more-protests-for-saturday.
WDSU. “U.S. State Department Speaks with WDSU about France Travel Advisory.” October 21, 2026. https://www.wdsu.com/article/us-state-department-speaks-with-wdsu-about-france-travel-advisory/74209963.
Agence France-Presse. “France Protests Descend into Looting as 1,500 Businesses Suffer Damage.” New Straits Times, October 18, 2026.
“Damage Caused by Riots in France Exceeds €1 Billion.” APA News, October 21, 2026.
“Economic Fallout of Riots in France: Businesses Suffer €1 Billion in Damages.” Morocco World News, July 3, 2023. Quoting Geoffroy Roux de Bézieux.
MacMillan, Alex. “How France’s School Revolt Became a National Movement.” Spark Solidarity, October 18, 2026. [https://sparksolidarity.ca/2026/10/18/france-school-revolt-public-services-prices-police/](https://sparksolidarity.ca/2026/10/18/france-school-revolt-public-services-prices-police/)
“Blocus dans les lycées : origine et revendications de la mobilisation au lycée Antoine-de-Saint-Exupéry de Créteil.” News-Wall, September 26, 2026. [https://news-wall.news/actualite-info-divertissement/blocus-dans-les-lycees-france/6732/](https://news-wall.news/actualite-info-divertissement/blocus-dans-les-lycees-france/6732/)
“2026 French Lycée Protests.” Wikiwand / Wikipedia, accessed October 21, 2026. [https://www.wikiwand.com/en/2026_French_lyc%C3%A9e_protests](https://www.wikiwand.com/en/2026_French_lyc%C3%A9e_protests)
Agence France-Presse. “‘Stay Home!’: Tourists Find Themselves in a France Convulsed by Protests.” ETTravelWorld, October 20, 2026. https://travel.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/destination/global/stay-home-tourists-find-themselves-in-a-france-convulsed-by-protests/135064543.
MacDonald, Cassandra. “U.S. Embassy Warns Americans to Avoid Cities Across France as Violent Riots Trigger Curfews.” The Gateway Pundit, October 20, 2026. https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2026/10/us-embassy-warns-americans-avoid-cities-across-france/.
Anadolu Agency. “Protests in Albania Continue as Students Demand Improved Education Conditions.” Anadolu Agency, October 19, 2026. Anadolu Agency.
CTV News. “Italy to Send 500 Troops to Milan After Clashes During Public Demonstrations.” October 19, 2026. CTV News.
Euractiv. “Student-Led Demonstrations over Housing and Living Costs Spread Across Western Europe.” October 20, 2026.
Kassam, Ashifa. “Tens of Thousands Join Protests Across Spain Over Rising Rent and Housing Costs.” The Guardian, October 3, 2026. The Guardian.
“Portugal Cost-of-Living Protesters Pour Back Into Camps Cleared by Police.” Al Jazeera, October 21, 2026. Al Jazeera. Anadolu Agency. “Protests in Albania Continue as Students Demand Improved Education Conditions.” Anadolu Agency, October 19, 2026. Anadolu Agency.
CTV News. “Italy to Send 500 Troops to Milan After Clashes During Public Demonstrations.” October 19, 2026. CTV News.
Euractiv. “Student-Led Demonstrations over Housing and Living Costs Spread Across Western Europe.” October 20, 2026.
Kassam, Ashifa. “Tens of Thousands Join Protests Across Spain Over Rising Rent and Housing Costs.” The Guardian, October 3, 2026. The Guardian.
“Portugal Cost-of-Living Protesters Pour Back Into Camps Cleared by Police.” Al Jazeera, October 21, 2026. Al Jazeera.
Ferguson Bouyahi, Rochelle. “Far Right Leader Marine Le Pen Gains Popularity Amid Nationwide Riots.” France 24, October 21, 2026. France 24 / Inbox.
Khadhraoui, Rym. “France’s High School Movement Has Entered a New Phase.” Tribune, October 21, 2026. Tribune Magazine.
Taylor, Paul. “After the Violence and Chaos in France, There’s Only One Beneficiary: Marine Le Pen.” The Guardian, October 20, 2026. The Guardian.
Marine Le Pen Paris Rally Coverage
This video provides direct broadcast context on how France 24 reports on Marine Le Pen’s political rallies and political messaging in Paris during periods of heightened tension.
Khalaf, Roula. “Transcript: France’s Marine Le Pen Readies for Fight with EU.” Financial Times, October 13, 2026. https://www.ft.com/content/9adb4937-5905-4095-95d8-99587186efad.
Le Pen, Marine. Quoted in “Marine Le Pen’s 2027 Plan to End French Support for Ukraine.” Ecostylia, October 15, 2026. https://www.ecostylia.com/en/le-pen-ukraine-aid-2027/.
“Marine Le Pen Opposes Further Financial Support for Ukraine.” UNN, October 16, 2026. https://unn.ua/en/news/we-can-no-longer-do-this-le-pen-opposes-further-financial-support.
Anadolu Agency. “France – Gilets jaunes : un appel à un ‘Acte II’ de mobilisation samedi 24 octobre.” Anadolu Agency, October 17, 2026. Anadolu Agency.
“Gilets jaunes : un ‘acte II’ annoncé pour ce samedi 24 octobre.” L’Info.re, October 19, 2026. L’Info.re.
“Manifestation du 24 octobre à Paris : rassemblement, parcours et armé mobilisé.” Sortir à Paris, October 21, 2026. Sortir à Paris.
Associated Press. “France Announces Nightly Curfews ‘for as Long as Necessary’ in Paris and Other Cities.” KPBS Public Media / AP, October 20, 2026. KPBS Public Media.
Çakırtekin, İlayda. “French Premier Announces ‘Massive’ Security Deployment for Protests This Weekend.” Anadolu Agency, October 20, 2026. Anadolu Agency.
“France Deploying Counterterrorism Troops to Quell Riots.” Tasnim News Agency, October 21, 2026. Tasnim News Agency.
Yang, Heejeong. “France to Deploy Troops for Oct. 24 Protests as Riots Deepen Fiscal Concerns.” The Korea Post, October 20, 2026. The Korea Post.
Caruchet, Matthew-Mary, and Antonia Kerrigan. “France Protests: ‘There’s a Constant Back and Forth Over Who’s Actually Responsible.'” France 24, October 18, 2026. France 24 YouTube Channel.
France 24. “‘Operation Sentinelle’: The Anti-Terror Force Patrolling French Cities.” November 13, 2018.
France 24 YouTube Channel.Plataforma Media. “France to Deploy Military Forces for Saturday Protests, Interior Minister Confirms.” October 20, 2026. Plataforma Media Article.
Le Pen, Marine. Quoted in “Marine Le Pen Promises to End Aid to Ukraine.” The New Voice of Ukraine, October 14, 2026. The New Voice of Ukraine.
Pierre, Christian. “Marine Le Pen’s 2027 Plan to End French Support for Ukraine.” Ecostylia, October 15, 2026. Ecostylia.
UNN News Agency. “‘We Can No Longer Do This’: Le Pen Opposes Further Financial Support for Ukraine.” October 16, 2026. UNN News Agency.