Anti-Muslim Acts in France Surge 53% in 2020, Report Finds

The year 2020 has been sensitive in terms of Islamophobic acts. According to the report published by the National Observatory for the Fight against Islamophobia, from January 1 to December 31, 2020, 235 anti-Muslim acts were recorded, compared to 154 in 2019, an increase of 53%. Actions increased by 14%, threats jumped by 79%. These acts and other threats recorded an increase of 35%.

Regarding the desecration of Muslim cemeteries, the observatory reports 3 in 2020 compared to 7 in 2019. Île-de-France, PACA and Rhône-Alpes are the regions most affected by anti-Muslim acts. In addition to these figures, there are many complaints that have never been filed because the plaintiffs think their requests have no chance of succeeding.

As part of the protection of Muslims, the National Observatory for the Fight against Islamophobia has taken several legal actions for incitement to racial hatred. The judgments are ongoing. In 2020, the French Council of the Muslim Faith (CFCM) received more than 70 letters at its headquarters or at the homes of its leaders. Most of the time, these are letters of death threats and insults against which no complaint has been filed. Even the President of the Observatory has received many threatening letters.

The Observatory’s report also exposes many acts of discrimination in several sectors. Complaints come from French Muslims, women and men victims of discrimination in the education, police, local authorities, SNCF and even in the press. Islamophobia has also developed on the internet through what the observatory calls "cyber-hatred". This is a massive and invisible spread of lies towards Muslims and Islam in general.

The President of the Observatory insists that French Muslims are concerned about the perception that some French people have of the Muslim religion. "While we refute any link between Islam and terrorism, we affirm that the Muslim religion cannot secrete any force of violence and we call for our religion and the exercise of its worship to be considered and treated with the same principles and rules that govern historically established religions and cults in France," he stressed. He calls on each religious leader, regardless of their affiliation, to denounce racism, anti-Semitism and Islamophobia, according to the same source.