Trump blames violent rioting in France on Islam, ‘out of control mass migration’ — and a French official has responded

A French official has responded to President Donald Trump blaming Islam and mass migration for the violent riots in France.

Nearly 500 people were arrested in just one day in connection with massive riots that French officials claim are about the conditions in schools. Education Minister Édouard Geffray reported that at least 24 schools were ransacked or set on fire.

The Ministry of Justice said more than 5,000 people had been arrested in the rioting and that 87% of the arrestees were minors.

While many news reports characterize the rioting as a result of French citizens expressing their outrage against education conditions, Trump tied it to Islam and mass immigration.

"What’s happening in France is nothing less than out of control mass migration. This isn’t about schools, this is about Islam wanting to take over a once great Country!" he wrote Tuesday on Truth Social.

The post captured a lot of attention and led to a tepid response from Jean-Noel Barrot, the French foreign minister.

"If we do not write our own story, others will write it for us," said Barrot.

He went on to accuse France's "rivals, adversaries, and partners" of attempting to interpret the rioting in a self-serving manner.

Organizers claim as many as 450,000 people are participating in the massive protest and rioting, reportedly to oppose the educational system offered in France. The French Ministry of the Interior said 488 people were just arrested on Tuesday and 43 law enforcement officers had been injured, AA reported.

In one startling case, a 15-year-old had his hand reportedly blown off by a police stun grenade that detonated.

Another individual lost teeth, and others reportedly suffered eye injuries, according to The Hill.

Some have tied the rioting to increased immigration enforcement ordered by the European Union in June. The new policies included increasing deportations and constructing detention centers abroad.

U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Mike Waltz also blamed immigration for the rioting in a statement to Fox News Digital. "I think we would always condemn lawlessness, condemn the violence that we're seeing in Paris," Waltz responded.

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"But I think we also have to recognize that when you have open borders, when you [have] this pro-migration, unchecked immigration kind of policy, coupled with policies over the years that deny people basic energy, that overspend on all kinds of other government programs, that you see a level of frustration boiling to the surface," he added.

In a letter dated Monday, the Ministry of Justice said more than 5,000 people had been arrested in the rioting and that 87% of the arrestees were minors. Only about a third of them are being prosecuted.

At least 900 high schools were expected to be blockaded or closed on Tuesday.

"The French are notorious for strikes, labor stoppages, and street demonstrations. It’s a core part of the Fifth Republic’s civic culture," said Theo Wold, a former Trump official, to Fox News Digital. "What’s new is the violence, lawlessness, and rioting. This is a consequence of mass immigration."

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