French school protests over teacher shortages and facility conditions escalated last weekend into the worst rioting the country has seen in years, impacting 3,000 businesses and resulting in 1,000 injured officers and thousands of arrests.
As French President Emmanuel Macron blamed far-left groups for the violence and destruction, a second nationwide demonstration has been planned for Oct. 24.
We turned to our readers—more than 4,300 responded—and asked what the turmoil in France means to the West.
Behind the Unrest
Nearly all survey takers (95 percent) agreed that far-left groups—including communist organizations and Antifa—have significantly escalated France’s unrest, with 85 percent strongly agreeing.
Most readers said news coverage and social media played negative roles as violence mounted.
Nearly all respondents (95 percent) said news coverage downplays extremist groups’ role in protest violence, with 86 percent strongly agreeing, while 4 percent disagreed.
Asked whether social media escalates protest-related violence, 93 percent agreed, 3 percent disagreed, and the rest were unsure.
Ninety-six percent of those surveyed said inconsistent punishment for rioting encourages further violence.
Extremists
When it comes to the factors contributing most to violent protests, 70 percent of respondents pointed to organized extremist groups.
Asked about the extent of extremists’ influence in America, 90 percent said far-left groups have more influence in American society than is widely recognized.
One reader said that the ignorance about the “degradation of civic values and responsibility in education” has left “our youth susceptible to sophisticated efforts to promote distrust and division, making it easier to radicalize our society.”
While more than half said rising living costs are increasing the risk of unrest in Western countries, a hefty 94 percent said extremist agitation contributes more to protest violence than economic hardship does.
Readers also blamed anti-American sentiments for turning protests violent, with one saying “the ‘communist machine’ sets up the riots for their agenda.”
Immigration
Ninety-five percent of respondents agreed that domestic extremist groups use illegal immigration to advance their political agendas, with 84 percent strongly agreeing and 11 percent somewhat agreeing.
Eighty-five percent believed immigration policy is the main cause of the riots in France. More than half strongly agreed.
Most readers agreed on punishments for foreign-born individuals involved in violent protest.
Asked whether naturalized citizens convicted of rioting should lose their citizenship and face deportation, 88 percent agreed, 6 percent disagreed, and the rest remained unsure.
Meanwhile, 16 percent said U.S. immigration screening does enough to identify applicants who may pose a risk of violence, while 65 percent disagreed.
Warning to America
A majority of respondents took the unrest in France as a warning to the United States.
More than half strongly agreed that the riots in France resemble the violence that accompanied the 2020 protests in the United States, 30 percent somewhat agreed, and 6 percent disagreed.
More than three-quarters of respondents said that the riots in France raise the likelihood of another wave of rioting in the United States. Only 6 percent disagreed, while 16 percent were unsure.
Almost 50 percent said they feel safe from political violence in their community, with 17 percent strongly agreeing and roughly one-third somewhat agreeing. Less than a quarter of respondents felt unsafe.
In terms of ways to prevent widespread unrest, readers chose countering violent extremist groups (43 percent) and law enforcement against rioting (29 percent) as top priorities.
“Trace funding, identify and investigate networks financing efforts to destabilize our country, and dismantle proven unlawful operations,” one reader commented. “No American should fear expressing political beliefs. I do, and that saddens me. Protect freedom.”
When asked whether they were confident America can avoid another wave of widespread rioting, only 4 percent agreed and 13 percent somewhat agreed. More than 50 percent of those surveyed expressed a negative view.
Some respondents believed that America needs to restore belief and education for a peaceful future.
“Man alone cannot achieve any answer to the problems plaguing America and the other nations of the world,” one reader said. “Ask God to forgive us for abandoning Him. Ask for His mercy to bring peace in our Country and the world.”
“Restore education about our heritage from the founders of the U.S. and the track record of socialism,” another commented.
The Epoch Times conducted this reader survey on Oct. 21 and 22, 2026, by email and social media, generating 4,361 responses.
