Video: French President Comes Under Fire For Attending Concert Amid Violent Protests

Amid ongoing violent protests in France, a video of President Emmanuel Macron attending an Elton John concert has sparked anger online. According to SkyNews, hundreds have been arrested so far over three nights of protests since a 17-year-old was fatally shot in the chest by the police after driving away from officers trying to pull him over. The following night, as more than 100 people were arrested and fires raged on France streets, the President and his wife Brigitte attended the British singer's Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour in Paris.

A video of Mr Macron tapping his foot while the singer performed Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting has emerged online. "As protesters burn French cities, Macron lights up at Elton John concert in Paris. The President of France in these shots is in a great mood, he enjoys music with his wife and dances a little," a Twitter user wrote while sharing the short clip. 

Watch the video below: 

As protesters burn French cities, Macron lights up at Elton John concert in Paris

The President of France in these shots is in a great mood, he enjoys music with his wife and dances a little. pic.twitter.com/v1CSKI7WB8

— Spriter Team (@SpriterTeam) June 30, 2023

Separately, Elton John and his husband David Furnish also posted a photo on Instagram showing them meeting with Mr Macron and his wife. "Backstage in Paris," Mr Furnish captioned the post. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by David Furnish (@davidfurnish)

Now, the picture and the video have gone viral on social media. Amid the crisis, concerns about Mr Macron attending the concert on Wednesday have been raised. "While France was on fire, Macron was not at the side of his minister of the interior or the police, but he preferred to applaud Elton John," said Thierry Mariani, an MEP for National Rally.

"Wrong timing," one Instagram user wrote beneath Mr Furnish's post, while another remarked, "Macron is below everything". A third said, "At the same time a child was killed by police under his government, he's enjoying a show. Disgrace on Macron". 

Also Read | Crazy Visuals Emerge On Social Media As France Riots Seem Like War-Zone

Meanwhile, as per SkyNews, Mr Macron has blamed social media for fueling violence and said that it had played a "significant role in the events of the past few days". Mr Macron said he would try to get "the most sensitive types of content" removed, as well as asking the sites to reveal identities of people who are promoting violence.

Notably, around 667 people were arrested across France overnight following a third day of protests over the death of the teenager. Nearly 40,000 police officers have also been deployed across the nation.