Racist Messages Spark Disciplinary Action at Aix-Marseille University’s History Department

Is racism the most widely shared thing at Aix-Marseille University? About ten third-year undergraduate (history) students have become sadly famous after targeting other students with racist messages on April 28 in the official WhatsApp group chat of their class, called "L3."

The case came to light following a letter sent to the faculty, reports Médiapart. Emojis of black men’s heads or a bearded man with a turban, a quote from Marine Le Pen, or a GIF of Jean-Marie Le Pen, a reference to "Uncle Hitler." The smell of racism is strong. They have been summoned to a disciplinary council.

Among the three moderators of the L3 thread is a student member of the UNI and an avowed supporter of Jordan Bardella. She was also until recently one of the three subscribers to the Instagram account @bienvenue.en.terre.d.islam, which describes itself in its bio as "Report on the establishment of the Islamic caliphate in France."

This is not the first time these students have made racist and discriminatory remarks. "Since the first year of the degree, I have been surrounded by hatred," testifies Fatima in Médiapart. According to the website, several students and professors in this program "point to a particularly rancid climate within this class of about a hundred students on the Aix campus." According to Rachida, this "unabashed racism" is not new. "They’ve been allowed to do these things for three years," she says.

Fatima explained that this WhatsApp thread, intended to share course materials, was most often used "by the fascists of the faculty who talked among themselves." Several students denounce a liberation of speech and the spread of far-right ideas within AMU and "much more accepted racist behaviors than before."

Informed, the management of the UFR (Training and Research Unit) opened an investigation on the morning of April 30, as indicated to France 3 Provence-Alpes by Mohamed Ouerfelli, vice-dean and deputy director in charge of student life, who received the victims. "We waited until the end of the exams to summon the students concerned," he specifies, also stating that the moderators of the discussion have also been interviewed.

After the investigation report was transmitted to the university presidency, the disciplinary commission was seized. Some students have been cleared, others have a simple reminder, and nine will be summoned for having disseminated hateful remarks. The procedure could take several months.

In addition, awareness-raising will be done with the students at the start of the school year on these "exchanges that are dangerous on social networks," says Mohamed Ouerfelli. And he concludes: "This is a serious matter, and I hope it will not harm our university."