France Unrest: Policing Failures and Macron's 'Little of Substance' Response

Oliver Farry speaks with Andrew Smith, Lecturer in Liberal Arts at Queen Mary University of London, about France's escalating social unrest. Smith argues that the violence accompanying largely peaceful demonstrations exposes serious failures of policing, and that President Emmanuel Macron's response has offered "very little of substance" to address the underlying grievances. The discussion highlights a troubling disconnect between legitimate popular complaints—centered on education and the cost of living—and a government response that has become increasingly security-focused. Smith draws parallels with other contexts to illustrate how states can misread public anger and default to enforcement rather than engagement. The interview offers a critical perspective on the cycle of protest and crackdown, questioning whether security measures alone can resolve the deeper social and economic frustrations driving people into the streets.