France could face even worse destruction with second weekend of planned riots, State Dept warns
FIRST ON FOX: The State Department warns that antifacist groups are planning to participate in a "potentially more confrontational protest" this weekend as the far-right National Rally holds its political...
By Fox News · Fox News
FIRST ON FOX : The State Department warns that antifacist groups are planning to participate in a "potentially more confrontational protest" this weekend as the far-right National Rally holds its political convention just days after widespread riots overwhelmed police and exposed major security failures. As party leader Marine Le Pen prepares for the gathering on Oct. 24-25 in Orléans, France, an internal document obtained by Fox News Digital cautions that antagonists are planning more demonstrations near the convention venue that could "expose further security shortcomings and deepen political tensions." The warning comes at a particularly dangerous political moment for President Emmanuel Macron considering the same unrest that exposed his government's security vulnerabilities could also give National Rally and center-right parties an opening to challenge his record, according to the State Department assessment. GLOBAL 'CHAOS INC' GROWS TO 101 GROUPS WITH PLANS FOR NEW ROUNDS OF DEMONSTRATIONS Now, French authorities face another high-stakes security test as demonstrators prepare to converge on the congress of a party that could benefit politically from the previous unrest. The demonstrations are expected to coincide with National Rally's two-day party congress , where Le Pen is set to launch her presidential campaign. Left-wing parties, unions and activist groups are planning a march Saturday, while antifascist groups have announced plans for a separate protest Sunday near the convention venue, according to the State Department assessment. WHO'S WHO: INSIDE FRANCE'S 'CHAOS INC.' FRANCHISE OF COMMUNIST GROUPS, LABOR UNIONS AND GLOBAL ACTIVISTS National Rally President Jordan Bardella has ruled out canceling the congress, while local authorities are preparing additional security restrictions around the gathering. The looming confrontation comes as France is still reeling from the Oct. 17 unrest , when authorities badly underestimated the scale of demonstrations tha…