France Considers New Anti-Islamophobia Organization Amid Rising Hate Crimes

Is France moving towards the creation of a new organization to fight Islamophobia? The Forum of Islam in France (FORIF) is addressing the issue of the fight against anti-Muslim acts and the security of places of worship through a working group. In France, anti-Muslim acts have been multiplying in recent years. In its summary note, the group recalls that "the figures only reflect part of the reality, because the victims of anti-Muslim acts do not always take the steps to file a complaint," reports Saphirnews.

It emerges from the FORIF meetings, which were attended by representatives of the administration, the need to set up a dedicated structure that would be "the interlocutor of the state services at the territorial level and then at the central level". "It will not be a body representing Muslims, but a legitimate structure because it is professional and expert, in a multidisciplinary approach to the problem on the one hand, and because it is rooted in the realities of the field on the other hand thanks to the close ties it will maintain with the departmental hubs," it is emphasized.

Excluded from the FORIF meetings, Abdallah Zekri, president of the Observatory for the Fight Against Islamophobia, warns: "The agreement we signed (in the time of Brice Hortefeux in 2010, editor’s note) has not been formally denounced to date. If the State no longer wants to recognize the Observatory, I will take note but that will not prevent me from continuing to denounce Islamophobic acts." For now, the meetings continue. The inaugural plenary session should take place on Saturday, February 5 at the Economic, Social and Environmental Council (CESE) in Paris.