Violent protests have hit cities in France, Italy, Belgium and Spain. Some European leaders blame foreign countries. Italy’s defence minister, Guido Crosetto, said someone was using TikTok, YouTube and other social media to create trouble. But French President Emmanuel Macron said there was no proof of foreign action behind the events. He said foreign groups used information about the unrest afterwards to spread their own messages.
The European Commission faces calls to investigate. It says there is not enough proof to start a formal investigation. It wants national authorities to do their work first and says it can help. European law gives the Commission special powers over online services during a serious public safety or health crisis. It has not used these powers for this unrest.
Police have also asked online services for help finding people involved in stealing and damaging property. In France, some people tried to sell stolen goods on Vinted. The company says it is helping police. Meanwhile, groups with links to Russia have used the violence to spread false information online. This does not prove that they started the protests.
