Racial Discrimination Exposed at French Riviera Private Beaches, SOS Racisme Files Complaint

The testing operation to prove discrimination based on origin launched by the SOS Racisme association every year was carried out on July 30th. It reveals the existence of mechanisms of discrimination against Maghrebians and people of sub-Saharan African origin on ten private beaches in Antibes Juan-les-Pins. "We unfortunately found that certain beaches do not respond the same way depending on the origin of the couples who present themselves, and therefore we have obviously concluded that there was discrimination based on the real or supposed origin of the people," said Dominique Sopo, the president of SOS Racisme.

"On two of them, people of Maghrebian origin or people of sub-Saharan African origin were refused entry while white people, so to speak, were able to enter," he added. The association has filed a complaint for racial discrimination against two private beaches, reports 20 Minutes. "Each time we wanted to order a mattress, we were told it was full or that it was by reservation only," testifies Redouane Halgand, 18, an SOS Racisme activist who had participated in this discrimination test on the Côte d’Azur. He filed an individual complaint.

For its part, the prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes has sent a letter to the Grasse prosecutor’s office regarding the report from SOS Racisme. This letter is "under study" and the association’s complaints would be attached to it, the prosecutor’s office assured.