Fox News report claims 101-group global network links protests in France, Delhi and elsewhere

A special report has been published by the US news channel Fox News, and it has set off discussion in international politics and social circles. The report claims that a global network of as many as 101 organisations, spread across nine countries including those in Europe and Asia, is currently active. It claims the network links protests in different countries with one another through social media, promotes them and coordinates among protest groups.

The report also makes a special mention of the protests held in Delhi, India. It claims that some messages and campaign material were spread from Paris, France.

At the centre of all this is an organisation called India Alliance Paris, which is active in France and passes information about protests in France and India to each other. According to the report, IAP worked with The People's Forum, based in Manhattan, New York, to bring India's social and political movements to an international level. One point, however, is clear: the Fox News report offers no concrete legal or scientific evidence that these organisations, sitting abroad, directly incited or ran the protests in India.

The report also mentions the role of the international organisation Progressive International, whose main aim is said to be bringing political and social people's movements around the world onto one platform. According to the report, the organisation issued an official statement on October 16. It referred to protests and public anger running simultaneously in France, Spain, India and Albania.

The organisation has asked how these movements, which arose over local issues in different countries, can be brought together and turned into an organised and broad global political force. The report suggests that the network's main agenda is to increase cooperation among left-wing and progressive movements across the world and to support them.

Fox News has alleged that organisations and media groups linked to American businessman Neville Roy Singham have a large share in this web. It says media networks run on Singham's financial backing gave local protests in Europe international publicity. These include the main organisations CodePink and Breakthrough News.

These organisations quickly spread word of the protests in France to other countries. CodePink carried the messages of the French protests to the US and has announced a large campaign in the US between November 10 and 12. The campaign's main demand is that governments of various countries cut military spending in their budgets and spend that money on education, public healthcare and housing.

The scope of the protests in Europe is expected to widen further in the coming days. According to the report, protesters in France are preparing to take to the streets in large numbers again on October 24. This protest has been named Act II. According to a digital map, protests are planned at about 212 locations in France at the same time.

Act III has been set for October 31, and the series will continue in November as well. In addition, student and youth organisations from several countries are preparing to call an International Youth Strike on November 20. The protest will be based on demands against rising inflation, cuts in government spending, military spending and the capitalist system. Although the Fox News report has exposed links among the organisations, no direct evidence has been found of foreign interference in the protests in India.