Trump mocks France riots: No mosques damaged "must be miracle"

US President Donald Trump reshared a sarcastic meme on his social-media platform about the wave of rioting across France, with a brief message aimed at one of Europe's most sensitive flashpoints: street violence and the tension surrounding immigration and Muslim communities.

The meme Trump circulated read: "Not even one mosque was damaged in the France riots. Must be a miracle." The message frames the claim of no damage to mosques in ironic terms, against the backdrop of the severe scenes from the unrest that has swept the country.

The riots in France erupted during mass protests over the cost of living, the state of the education system and the deterioration of public services, but in several locations the demonstrations turned into serious violence. Rioters set fire to vehicles and public buildings, looted shops and clashed with police forces.

Too little, too late — French police in action (Photo: Social media)

In the city of Limoges, the historic town hall building went up in flames, and in Marseille rioters broke into public buildings. Paris also saw widespread looting and destruction, with thousands of businesses damaged across the country. During the first weekend of the riots, some 2,400 people were arrested, according to reports citing French authorities' figures.

Trump's post joins the political and public offensive in the United States surrounding the situation in France, with the American president and other figures on the right linking the riots to the issue of immigration. The message Trump circulated turns the question of damage to mosques into a political barb, placing it at the center of the debate over the identity of the rioters and the character of the unrest.