EU Probes Possible Russian Disinformation in French Riots

The European Union is investigating potential Russian interference and disinformation campaigns linked to recent large-scale riots in France and other EU countries, according to the Financial Times. EU security officials suspect pro-Russian and far-right social media accounts amplified violent content to sow chaos. EU security officials noted that pro-Russian accounts actively spread violent videos during the protests, though they likely did not initiate the demonstrations. A Sciences Po researcher linked the activity to Russian networks Storm-1516 and Matreshka, while French intelligence has found no concrete evidence of direct Russian involvement in instigating the riots. The protests on October 17-18 against the rising cost of living resulted in approximately 2,000 shops looted, nearly 2,400 arrests, and about 1,000 injured police officers. The FT found one viral video falsely presented as French protest footage was actually from 2024 demonstrations in Tbilisi. Similar cost-of-living protests also erupted in Italy, prompting the deployment of 500 troops.