Liberty, equality, impunity: France ignored the warnings. Now it’s paying for it - opinion

Since Saturday, October 17, France has witnessed a nation-wide turmoil marked by riots, looting, and arson. This tumult has been a painful sight, leaving a sense of sadness and shame. A critical question looms: How much longer will France ignore the growing unrest, acknowledge the gravity of the situation, and take appropriate action?

This unrest did not arise suddenly. For years, warnings of normalization of violence, radical rhetoric, erosion of authority, and reluctance to draw clear red lines were dismissed. French Jews bear witness to this betrayal, as they were often the first to notice these boundaries fading, only to be accused of overreacting.

Witnessing these scenes of chaos, a French woman living in Israel does not derive satisfaction from proving her rightness. Instead, the most alarming aspect is the gradual normalization of violence. Each episode becomes another crisis, followed by moments of outrage, then returning to the same cycle. The question remains: How far is France willing to accept this?

A society does not abruptly descend into violence. Limits evolve, language hardens, threats turn into slogans, and intimidation is downplayed. In 2024, an Islamist activist advocating for an "intifada" in Paris received a suspended sentence for incitement to hatred or violence, highlighting the tolerance for such calls. The cause may change, but the logic remains the same.

Responsibility lies not only with those who incite or carry out violence but also with those in the far-left political sphere who have long fueled confrontation, normalized radical rhetoric, and excused violence when it serves their interests. In La France Insoumise, lawmakers such as Ersilia Soudais and Éric Coquerel, along with MEP Rima Hassan, have expressed support for similar ideologies, blurring the line between radical activism and elected office.

The far-left is not the sole culprit. Presidents like Emmanuel Macron share the blame. Instead of condemning violence, Macron has attributed it to various factions, including ultra-left groups and delinquents. By failing to act, these leaders send a message of impunity, allowing the climate of violence to persist.

The irony is palpable. While Macron and his ministers often lecture Israel on managing its society and containing violence, they have allowed the unraveling of their own. Watching from Israel, the question arises: Would France benefit from its leaders focusing more of their attention on their own streets?

The cost of surrender is evident in the damage inflicted upon 3,000 businesses in a single day, leaving shopkeepers devastated. French Jews have endured this sense of abandonment for two decades, from high-profile cases such as Ilan Halimi to the Toulouse school shooting and Hyper Cacher attack. In the absence of protection, these individuals are left to bear the brunt of a failing system.