French government's Mélenchon blame for October 17 violence scrutinized

The French government has repeatedly blamed Jean-Luc Mélenchon and La France Insoumise (LFI) for violence during October 17 protests, a charge the article argues makes them a scapegoat. Officials, including Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu and Bruno Retailleau, have accused the party of provoking unrest, with some calling for its dissolution. Mediapart reports intelligence services were pressured to exaggerate LFI's role, despite territorial intelligence contradicting this. The article notes LFI's "citizen revolution" rhetoric and history of supporting protests, including the "Blocus challenge," which fuels government criticism, though it distinguishes the party from the "ultragauche" and questions the evidence linking Mélenchon directly to the violence.