World News | "Resurgence of Far-left Political Terrorism”: Amid France Riots, US Under Secy Helberg Flags Organised Networks Fueling Violence
Get latest articles and stories on World at LatestLY. US Under Secretary of State Jacob S. Helberg has warned of what he termed the resurgence of far-left political terrorism, accusing transnational networks of coordinating violence across borders and calling for action against their financing and operations, as protests and violent confrontations continue in France.
Washington DC [US], October 19 (ANI): US Under Secretary of State Jacob S. Helberg has warned of what he termed the resurgence of “far-left political terrorism”, accusing transnational networks of coordinating violence across borders and calling for action against their financing and operations, as protests and violent confrontations continue in France.
In a post on X on Sunday (local time), Helberg said the threat was organised through networks that crossed national borders, shared resources and coordinated violence, recalling that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had hosted a ministerial meeting on the issue in July.
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“As Secretary Rubio warned in July, we are witnessing the resurgence of FAR-LEFT POLITICAL TERRORISM,” Helberg wrote, describing the threat as “transnational and organized in networks that cross borders, share resources, and coordinate violence”.
Condemning those who justify or normalise political violence, Helberg said, “Those who excuse, normalize and legitimize it deserve unequivocal condemnation.”
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He added, “Unlike their apologists, we believe destruction and chaos are NOT legitimate forms of political expression. Arson is not argument. Intimidation is not debate. Terror is not justice.”
Helberg also argued that political violence should not be conflated with protests over economic hardship, stating, “And a campaign to destroy Western civilization is NOT a protest against the price of groceries. Every business burned is someone's life's work destroyed. Every neighborhood terrorized is a community robbed of peace.”
Reaffirming the Trump administration's position, Helberg said the United States would take action against networks it considers a threat to American communities.
“Under President Trump and Secretary Rubio, we will never surrender American communities to organized political terror. We will dismantle terrorist networks that threaten our people, disrupt their financing, and bring their perpetrators to justice,” he wrote.
The Under Secretary further said, “Our streets belong to our citizens. Our future belongs to our children. And this country belongs to the people who built it-- not transnational mobs that seek to burn it down.”
Helberg's remarks follow Rubio's July ministerial meeting on what the US administration described as the resurgence of far-left political terrorism. In an earlier post on X, Helberg shared excerpts from Rubio's speech, describing the Secretary of State's remarks as “prescient and timely”.
In his address, Rubio argued that political violence associated with radical left-wing movements represented a threat to Western societies and their institutions.
“Far-left political terrorism is a distinctive and unique evil. It has always been driven by a hatred above all else, a hatred for civilization itself,” Rubio said.
He further argued that groups involved in such violence adopted different ideological labels across countries and periods, including anti-capitalism, anti-imperialism, communism, anarchism and Marxism.
“But the fundamental character is always the same. It's always the same,” Rubio said.
Rubio also accused such groups of using the language of equality, justice and liberation to justify destruction, citing attacks on infrastructure as examples of the threat he described.
“They attack pipelines; they attack railroads; they attack power grids and laboratories, the physical embodied symbols of power and invention and achievement,” he said.
Emphasising the international dimension of the issue, Rubio added, “These are not distinct and isolated cells. They are interconnected networks.”
He alleged that such networks coordinated across borders, sharing resources, propaganda, training materials and financing. The remarks formed part of the US administration's argument that political violence linked to far-left groups required international cooperation to counter.
The statements also come amid protests in France, where demonstrations over living costs and school conditions have been accompanied by violent confrontations, according to the background reports provided.
A Fox News Digital investigation published on October 9 identified 50 organisations associated with France's student protest movement and its wider network of supporters, alleging that communist, socialist and far-left groups were using demonstrations over school conditions to advance broader political and ideological objectives.
According to the report, 15 of the 50 organisations were student or youth groups, while the remaining 35 included labour unions, communist and socialist organisations, political parties, civil-rights groups and other advocacy organisations.
The investigation alleged that the network extended beyond France to countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, Greece, Brazil and India, with organisations mobilising supporters, calling strikes and amplifying demonstrations internationally.
Among the organisations identified was Indian Alliance Paris, a France-based group of students, researchers and professionals. Fox News Digital reported that the group had promoted French demonstrations on social media and drawn parallels with student protests in India.
In a post cited by the report, the group expressed support for young protesters in both countries, writing, “to Gen Z: In France. In India. Bravo for today.”
The report also referred to posts by the group concerning political developments in India. On October 6, it shared a clip of Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi being detained, accompanied by the message, “The leader of opposition in the Parliament is being arrested in New Delhi. Shame Govt of India. Shame Delhi police.”
On October 7, the group posted a news clip alleging restrictions on Muslim voters and mass arrests of opposition workers and leaders, asking, “We are still supposed to call this democracy?”
Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron said that “nothing justifies” violence during an address to the nation on Sunday, according to France 24. The remarks came amid demonstrations over the rising cost of living and poor school conditions.
According to the report, police arrested more than 2,300 people over the weekend after violent groups clashed with officers and looted shops. Demonstrators also set fires at multiple locations, while shops were broken into during the unrest.
Tens of thousands of people reportedly marched through eastern and northern parts of Paris during a prominent demonstration on Saturday, chanting slogans including “Everyone hates the police” and “Macron, resign”. (ANI)
(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)