WHO'S WHO: Inside France's 'Chaos Inc.' franchise of communist groups, labor unions and global activists

close Video pro-Palestinian, communist mobs in France are making an ‘anarchic effort,’ expert warns Dr. Qanta Ahmed, a fellow at the Independent Women's Forum, warns of rising violence in Europe as pro-Palestinian and communist mobs clash with police. After more than 800 rioters are arrested in France for looting and setting buildings ablaze, Ahmed analyzes the cultural and political shifts driving destructive protests across major European cities. NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Hören Sie sich diesen Artikel an 18 Min As France's fiery student protests merged with a nationwide revolt on Saturday, a communist leader and academic, Vijay Prashad, celebrated the unrest with a message linking protests across three continents. "Paris-New Delhi-Buenos Aires," Prashad posted on X, borrowing a line from the British punk band The Clash: "Let fury have the hour, anger can be power." Prashad was important not only for what he said, but for who he is: executive director of Tricontinental Ltd., a nonprofit funded by an American-born Marxist tech tycoon, Neville Roy Singham, who lives in Shanghai. The message captured how France's riots have become part of a wider international narrative of rebellion — a kind of "Chaos Inc." — amplified by a transnational network of communist and socialist organizations stretching from Europe to Asia, Australia, Africa and South America and North America. A protestor jumps over a wheelie bin as a fire is started on Voltaire boulevard while tens of thousands of secondary school students and their supporters march from Republic to Nation square on October 6, 2026, in Paris, France. (Guy Smallman/Getty Images) France IS DEVOURING ITSELF AS SCHOOL RIOTS REVEAL A CRISIS FAR BIGGER THAN BROKEN CLASSROOMS A Fox News Digital investigation has identified 54 organizations and movements in France's October student protests and their wider network of supporters and international amplifiers, including communist parties, revolutionary socialist groups, labor unions, environmental activists, Muslim student advocates, Palestinian-solidarity organizations and international media outlets. Of the 54 organizations identified in the October protest ecosystem, 16 — or only about one in three — are student or youth organizations, including communist youth groups and a Muslim student association. The remaining 38 include adult-led communist groups, labor unions, political parties, revolutionary-left organizations, advocacy groups and international propaganda outlets. They include Gilets jaunes, or "Yellow Vests," a radical far-left group that led protests with other groups this weekend, and far-left socialist political party La France Insoumise (LFI), or France Unbowed. From the outset, far-left socialist and communist organizations helped organize and amplify France’s student revolt, using grievances over school conditions as a pretext to mobilize a broader political struggle against capitalism, government austerity, policing and military spending. A protester wearing a communist hammer-and-sickle flag and Palestinian keffiyeh scarf watches a fire burn at a demonstration in Paris, France, on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026. Rioters attacked French public buildings and looted stores in cities including Paris as protests against the high cost of living drew more than half a million people, underscoring the nation's challenges ahead of presidential elections next year. (Nathan Laine/Bloomberg via Getty Images) HOUSE PANEL WARNS SINGHAM-LINKED NONPROFITS: COMPLY WITH SUBPOENAS OR FACE CONGRESS In a sign of unrest to come, France is inspiring an expansion of Chaos Inc. Fox News Digital has learned an international coalition of 28 communist and socialist youth and organizations are galvanizing students and youth for a coordinated strike across 12 countries in Europe under the slogan "Fight for Our Future, Not Their Wars!" They are calling for walkouts, demonstrations, assemblies, blockades and occupations. Among the international amplifiers for this mayhem are organizations within the Singham network, including Tricontinental, named for a communist convention in Havana, Cuba, in 1966, CodePink and BreakThrough News, a New York-based media outlet, which promoted coverage of the weekend's mayhem in France with the headline: "ANTI-MACRON PROTESTS ROCK France." It shared a montage of chaotic scenes from Montpellier, Paris, Marseille, Bordeaux, Strasbourg and Saint-Étienne, showing activists engulfed in smoke, Palestinian flags flapping above the crowds, black smoke billowing over flames and police hitting demonstrators with clubs. Its editors added a soundtrack of dramatic music. Its videos include politicians from the far-left socialist political party La France Insoumise (LFI). In an interview with BreakThrough News, Jodie Evans, Singham's wife and co-founder of a far-left group he funded, CodePink, promoted a planned November campaign in Washington opposing U.S. military spending. She explicitly invoked youth demonstrations abroad, including France, Spain and India, while urging Americans to participate in CodePink's campaign. "I want people to look at France, Spain and India," Evans said, urging Americans to take to the streets. Video Fox News Digital has prepared a "Who's Who Guide to Chaos Inc. in France," identifying the 54 organizations in the international network promoting the riots and protests in France, from direct organizing to participation, public solidarity and media amplification. FRENCH SCHOOL RIOTS DEEPEN AS EXPERTS POINT TO FAR-LEFT ALLIANCE FUELING ‘BROADER CONFRONTATION’ Young communists protesting as part of the student protests in France on Oct. 6, 2026 (Vincent Koebel/NurPhoto via Getty Images) STUDENT UNIONS AND YOUTH GROUPS (16) communist AND SOCIALIST STUDENT AND YOUTH GROUPS communist Youth of Greece — communist: A Greek communist youth organization that has publicly supported French students, connecting their education demands to opposition to military spending and government austerity. It has also supported communist protesters in Madrid, Spain, and Greece. La Jeunesse Communists — communist: A group coordinating communist youth activism visible in the French demonstrations, including hammer-and-sickle flags and banners calling for "Class War!" Le Poing Levé — The Raised Fist — REVOLUTIONARY communist: A revolutionary student and youth organization associated with Révolution Permanente that works to connect high-school and university protests. Union de la Jeunesse Communiste (UJC) — communist Youth Union — communist: A French communist youth organization that called on supporters to join and amplify the student struggle. STUDENT AND YOUTH GROUPS AFGES – Les étudiant·e·s d'Alsace — The Students of Alsace: A Strasbourg-based student federation affiliated with FAGE that posted about the early October mobilization while describing itself as politically independent. It coordinated protests in Strasbourg on Oct. 17 with an Instagram post that said, "MOBILISER," which means "MOBILIZE." Another post invited activists onto the streets with the message, "LE COMBAT CONTINUE," or "THE FIGHT CONTINUES." Étudiants Musulmans de France (EMF) — Muslim Students of France: A Muslim student association involved in student representation and campus solidarity whose social-media activity appears in the protest research; its exact Oct. 17 role remains unconfirmed. Fédération des associations générales étudiantes (FAGE) — Federation of General Student Associations: A national student federation that joined calls for student mobilization against the "extremely violent repression" of youth. It shared footage of its members marching on Oct. 17, with the hashtags #manifestation #genz #17octobre. Fédération Syndicale Étudiante (FSE) — Student Trade Union Federation: A left-wing student organization whose activists appeared in demonstrations and announced "Democratic and Antifascist Vigilance Committees," linking high-school grievances to the treatment of anti-Israel activists and union members. On Saturday, it posted videos with its trademark solid red flags. One message read: "In Bordeaux, protesters invade the house of the mayor! On October 17, the whole country is on a standstill. Everyone is mobilizing for better living conditions, and against cutting the budget for public service! In Bordeaux, we hear echoing in the protest: Only one solution, the Revolution! The mobilization of the 17 continues: let's block everywhere in France!" Interfac Île-de-France — Regional Student Coordination: A student coordination organization among Oct. 17 organizers involved in discussions over demonstration routes in Paris. Les Lycéens! — The High School Students!: A high-school student organization active in the early school blockades. Renouveau lycéen — High School Renewal: A high-school student organization identified in coverage of the October school mobilization. Rassemblement pour l'égalité et la démocratie Jeunes — Youth for Equality and Democracy: A youth civic and political organization associated with organizing support for students in Seine-Saint-Denis; its specific Oct. 17 role has not been independently established. Solidaires Étudiant·e·s — Solidaires Students: A left-wing student union that supported the high-school movement and helped connect university students with the October demonstrations. Union Étudiante — Student Union: A national university student union that helped mobilize students for the Oct. 6 demonstrations and encouraged participation in the broader movement. Union nationale des étudiants de France (UNEF) — National Union of Students of France: One of France's established student unions, it was among the organizers of the Oct. 6 nationwide demonstrations. Union syndicale lycéenne (USL) — High School Students' Union: A French high-school student union that helped organize the initial school blockades and October demonstrations before publicly supporting students joining the Oct. 17 Yellow Vest mobilization. Smoke billows around protesters as they march toward the Place de la Bastille in Paris on Oct. 8, 2026, as part of a nationwide protest movement over learning conditions. The orange vest carries the acronym "CGT" for the Confédération générale du travail, a trade union. Protestors carry a purple flag of La France insoumise, a political party, and a red flag of Fédération Syndicale Étudiante, a student group. (Kenzo Tribouillard/AFP via Getty Images) communist, MARXIST, TROTSKYIST AND REVOLUTIONARY-SOCIALIST ORGANIZATIONS (11) International communist League — TROTSKYIST: An international communist organization whose French publication Le Bolchévik called on labor unions to mobilize in support of the school protests. Jeunesse du Monde — communist PUBLICATION: A communist publication associated with the Organisation Communiste de France; separate organizational participation in the October 17 protests has not been established. La France insoumise (LFI) — France Unbowed — LEFT-POPULIST / SOCIALIST: A political movement whose elected officials supported student blockades, including lawmaker Louis Boyard, who waved a Palestinian flag alongside students at Paris-Est-Créteil University. Nouveau Parti anticapitaliste – L'Anticapitaliste (NPA) — New Anticapitalist Party — REVOLUTIONARY SOCIALIST: A revolutionary anti-capitalist party that urged continued mobilization after the Oct. 6 protests. Organisation communiste révolutionnaire — REVOLUTIONARY communist: A communist organization identified in the wider research whose precise legal identity and direct October protest activities require additional verification. Parti communiste français (PCF) — French communist Party — communist: Party leader Fabien Roussel publicly supported student demonstrators in Paris alongside communist elected officials and activists as demonstrators carried party flags. Parti des Indigènes de la République (PIR) — Party of the Indigenous of the Republic — DECOLONIAL POLITICAL MOVEMENT: A political organization that defended the student revolt and circulated imagery of protesters outside Lycée Paul Éluard holding a Palestinian flag. Parti de l'égalité socialiste — Socialist Equality Party — TROTSKYIST: A French socialist organization that called for workers' action committees and broader mobilization in support of the student movement. Revolutionary communist Group — communist: A British revolutionary communist organization that published an article connecting the French student revolt to opposition to capitalism, imperialism and support for Palestine. Révolution Permanente — Permanent Revolution — TROTSKYIST: A revolutionary socialist organization and publication that reported on university blockades and encouraged solidarity between high-school and university students. World Socialist Web Site — TROTSKYIST MEDIA: An international socialist publication that covered the French school blockades and placed them within a broader argument about austerity, militarization and capitalism. MUSLIM STUDENT AND PRO-PALESTINE ORGANIZATIONS (2) Union juive française pour la paix (UJFP) — French Jewish Union for Peace: A Jewish peace and Palestine-solidarity organization that publicized "support for high school students" who joined protests in early October. Urgence Palestine — Palestine Emergency: A French Palestine-solidarity organization whose protest-related social-media activity appears in the research, although direct organization of the October 17 demonstrations is not established. Video labor unions, TEACHERS' FEDERATIONS AND FARMERS (12) CGT Éduc'action — CGT Education: The education-sector organization of the General Confederation of Labour that joined union mobilization calls. CFDT Éducation Formation Recherche Publiques — CFDT Public Education, Training and Research: A public education and research union that joined education-sector statements supporting the school movement. Confédération générale du travail (CGT) — General Confederation of Labour: One of France's major national labor confederations that supported the October school mobilizations and joined the Oct. 17 cost-of-living protests. Confédération nationale du travail (CNT) — National Confederation of Labour — ANARCHO-SYNDICALIST TRADITION: A revolutionary-syndicalist labor organization that endorsed the student movement, declaring that students were right to revolt. Confédération paysanne — Peasant Confederation: A farmers' union that called on agricultural workers to join Oct. 17 protests, linking rural economic grievances with the national mobilization. Fédération syndicale unitaire (FSU) — Unitary Trade Union Federation: A major education and public-sector union federation that supported the school mobilization. FNEC FP-FO — National Federation of Education, Culture and Vocational Training–Workers' Force: Force Ouvrière's education federation, which joined calls supporting high-school demonstrations. Force Ouvrière (FO) — Workers' Force: A national labor confederation whose education affiliates joined calls supporting high-school students. SUD éducation — SUD Education: A left-wing education union that joined mobilization calls involving students and education workers. Syndicat national des enseignements de second degré (SNES-FSU) — National Union of Secondary Education: A major secondary-school personnel union that supported strikes and demonstrations in solidarity with students. Union syndicale Solidaires — Solidaires Trade Union: A left-wing labor federation whose regional branches promoted Oct. 17 demonstrations and strikes after earlier student solidarity mobilizations. Union nationale des syndicats autonomes (UNSA) — National Union of Autonomous Trade Unions: A national trade-union federation whose education organizations supported the school movement. Protestors gather around the Monument à la République in Place de la République in Paris on Oct. 4, 2026, during nationwide demonstrations against an overcrowded, ill-equipped and understaffed education system. A masked protestor holds a red flag of the Soviet Union with the communist hammer and sickle. (Veronique de Viguerie/Getty Images) HUMAN-RIGHTS, PARENTS', ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC-JUSTICE ORGANIZATIONS (11) Amnesty International France: The French section of Amnesty International that reported on police treatment of minors during the school protests. ATTAC France — Association for the Taxation of Financial Transactions and Citizen Action: An economic-justice organization that linked protest grievances with opposition to austerity and restrictions on civil liberties. Coordination nationale du mouvement du 26 septembre — September 26 Movement Coordination: A climate-mobilization network that encouraged participation in Oct. 17 protests and connected environmental concerns with household economic pressures. Extinction Rebellion: An international environmental activist movement whose imagery appeared in photographic coverage of the French demonstrations. Fédération des conseils de parents d'élèves (FCPE) — Federation of Parents' Councils: A national parents' federation that called on members to demonstrate and announced participation by its national board in Paris. Gilets jaunes — Yellow Vests: A radical far-left French protest group revived around fuel prices and the cost of living whose Oct. 17 demonstrations converged with the student mobilization. Intersyndicale nationale VTC — National Private-Hire Drivers' Union Coalition: A professional drivers' coalition that promoted participation in the Oct. 17 mobilization, including a gathering at Place de la Bastille. Les Soulèvements de la Terre — Earth Uprisings: A radical environmental movement that celebrated the student revolt and called for an antifascist uprising. Ligue des droits de l'Homme (LDH) — Human Rights League: A French civil-liberties organization that publicized support for students and criticism of police repression. Mouvement contre le racisme et pour l'amitié entre les peuples (MRAP) — Movement Against Racism and for Friendship Between Peoples: An antiracism organization identified in earlier coalition activity around the student demonstrations. SOS Racisme — SOS Racism: A French antiracism organization included in coalition activity supporting the school movement. Clashes occur between protesters throwing projectiles and police responding with tear gas during a demonstration against the high cost of living in Paris, France, on October 17, 2026. (Jerome Gilles/NurPhoto/Getty Images) INTERNATIONAL AMPLIFIERS AND ADDITIONAL OCT. 17 ORGANIZERS (2) BreakThrough News — communist SINGHAM NETWORK: A New York-based outlet that reported on French student demonstrations and previewed their participation in the October 17 cost-of-living mobilization. Indian Alliance Paris — communist SINGHAM NETWORK: A France-based Indian diaspora organization that connected French and Indian youth protests through its social-media messaging. It has partnered with the SIngham network's People's Forum for an event. Trash burns during clashes between protestors and police officers during a demonstration against rising living costs, joining students' grievances, in Paris, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Emma Da Silva) THE NEXT MOBILIZATION: NOV. 20 EUROPEAN YOUTH STRIKE Counterfire — United Kingdom — REVOLUTIONARY SOCIALIST / ANTI-WAR: A British socialist organization that advertised the Nov. 20 strike and connected opposition to war with campaigns involving universities and Palestine. International Socialist Alternative — REVOLUTIONARY SOCIALIST: An international socialist organization that endorsed the Nov. 20 action and connected opposition to militarization with criticism of capitalism. International Youth Strike coalition: The international organizing coalition announced plans in August for coordinated Nov. 20 student walkouts and demonstrations across Europe under the slogan "Fight for Our Future, Not Their Wars!" Socialist Party — United Kingdom — TROTSKYIST: A British socialist party whose October commentary linked France's student revolt with wider European mobilization and the forthcoming strike. Socialist Students — United Kingdom — SOCIALIST: A British socialist student organization that promoted the Nov. 20 strike and sought to connect student opposition to military spending with wider socialist campaigns. Stop the War Coalition — United Kingdom — ANTI-WAR: A British anti-war organization that promoted the youth strike and encouraged demonstrations opposing military spending. Asra Nomani is senior editor of investigations at Fox News Digital. She is a former reporter at the Wall Street Journal, where she covered stories related to money, politics and society. She is the author of "Woke Army: The Red-Green Alliance That Is Undermining America’s Freedom." She can be reached at asra.nomani@fox.com and on X at @asranomani.