Emmanuel Petit Blasts Rioters and Politicians in Powerful Video

Emmanuel Petit posted a nearly four-minute video on his Instagram account on Sunday, appearing alone on camera with a stern expression and grave tone, to react to riots that occurred on October 17 during protests against the cost of living.

A direct witness to the destruction, the former France midfielder describes a scene where “everything is destroyed, everything is burned, everything is smashed, everything is looted and stolen.” He condemns the behavior of troublemakers acting with hidden faces, drawing a parallel with violence seen during certain PSG victories in the Ligue des Champions, and denounces what he calls widespread “cowardice.” Pushed to his limit, he even admits to having had the impulsive urge to “go out into the street and fight with all these little bastards.”

His message targets in particular individuals “supposed to have been born French” but who, according to him, “couldn’t care less about having a French passport” and “hate France.” While claiming to understand the demands of peaceful protesters and initially inviting people not to lump everyone together, his speech quickly shifts to a broader attack: he categorically invites some to “get out” or “go back where you came from,” mixing in his fiscal frustration at being “squeezed” by taxes.

The end of his intervention takes the form of an indictment of the entire political establishment. Petit accuses parties of fighting only for “absolute power” and points to management where money is lacking for everyone, “except for you politicians.” The text accompanying the post sums up his position: “Between the rioters and the government, it’s hard to choose a side… when neither inspires confidence in us.” The former international concludes by stating that France “deserves better than having to choose between two evils.”