SARAH VINE: French rioters aren’t the weak, the starving, the desperate – they are the indulged children of a bloated welfare state and wokeism that threaten civilised society

Sarah Vine argues that recent rioting and looting in Paris and elsewhere in France is driven mainly by greed and entitlement, rather than hardship or political activism. She says the destruction harms shopkeepers and communities, and sees it as a threat to social order and shared civic values.

The article compares the looters to zombies in popular culture and criticises public figures and media coverage that, in her view, portray them as victims or student protesters. Vine attributes the unrest to social media, consumerism and what she describes as an overgenerous welfare state, while arguing that many participants already have access to expensive goods. The supplied text ends before the article’s full argument is complete.