Victor Wembanyama Faces Criticism For Supporting Protests That Turned Ugly

San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama has drawn criticism following nationwide French protests that escalated into riots, looting, and clashes with police. Ahead of the October 17 demonstrations, Wembanyama shared an unexplained social media image of a white rabbit holding a pocket watch. The post led several social media users and political figures to interpret it as support for the unrest, despite the player not publicly endorsing any violence.

Wembanyama had earlier voiced support on October 8 for peaceful student demonstrations addressing educational inequality and poor school conditions. However, after more than 500,000 protesters marched and police made approximately 1,800 arrests nationwide, figures including Nice mayor Éric Ciotti criticized celebrities who appeared to back the events. Observers and fans remain divided over whether the post referred to the protests or the approaching NBA season.