French Muslim Council Warns of Rising Islamophobia, Urges Voter Mobilization

In a statement, the CFCM cries out its indignation: "The designation of a ’scapegoat’, used since the dawn of time to cast opprobrium on a minority accused of being the source of all ills, unfortunately seems to be bearing fruit in the country of Human Rights." "Even though the far right is not even in power yet," the Muslim organization notes that "we are already witnessing a very strong resurgence of racist speech and acts of physical violence against citizens identified as ’Arab-Muslim’". It says it is deeply concerned about the "weakness, or even the absence of reactions from our elites and our media in the face of this new threshold crossed".

The CFCM points the finger at certain media. "The exacerbation of this violence would not have been possible without the constant hammering of certain media. By repeatedly taking up themes, theories and language elements from the far right, the latter have greatly contributed to normalizing them and promoting ideas of intolerance, hatred and division in our country," it denounces. To support its argument, it argues: "[...] it must be acknowledged that by offering large platforms without contradictors to influencers and promoters of the far right and by treating current events in a biased way, these media are creating an anxious climate and distrust towards French Muslims and foreigners in general."

"The strong progression of the vote in favor of the far right in rural areas, where paradoxically this fringe of society that serves as a scapegoat is not or very little represented, says a lot about the impact of these media on the perception of public opinion about the reality on the ground," the Muslim organization affirms, before deploring: "Despite the lessons that History has taught us, the morbid obsession with origins, names and skin colors is back in force and is gangrening our society."

Faced with the "troubled times that will undoubtedly have a lasting impact on the future" of France, the CFCM calls on all French people "of all origins and all faiths to mobilize massively" on July 7, "in order to stem the wave of intolerance, hatred and division that is likely to hit" the country.