The headquarters of the General Directorate of Internal Security (DGSI) in Levallois-Perret, near Paris, August 31, 2020. ROMAIN GAILLARD-POOL/SIPA
For a long time, France – perhaps overly confident – believed it had little to fear from amateur propagandists and would-be agents of influence who served the interests of foreign powers like Russia. These individuals were often clumsy and conspicuous, far from being professional spies. But the war in Ukraine and divisions in French society over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict have revealed the insidious effects of information manipulation on public opinion.
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What investigators know about destabilization actions in France
Since 2023, the DGSI domestic intelligence agency and the judiciary have adopted a firmer stance. "Poster-pasting, graffiti, paintings, displayed materials and other provocations using coffins with messages serving foreign interests were previously not dealt with in court. Now, it's almost always the case," a person at the Justice Ministry said. The Paris prosecutor's office, which has national jurisdiction for prosecuting cases involving intelligence with a foreign power, confirmed that since then, "nine investigations have been opened solely on this basis in connection with Ukraine or Israel-Palestine."
