Thousands March in Belfort Against Islamophobia and Racism in France

Faced with the galloping rise of Islamophobia in France, Muslim women have decided to raise their voices. "We are French, we pay our taxes and we live like everyone else," the crowd chanted on Saturday, November 2, 2019 in Belfort.

They were outraged and upset by the recent attacks on veiled women, in particular, the one at the Regional Council of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, during which a veiled mother from Belfort was accosted by an RN elected official.

According to those who made the trip, their veil does not represent a danger, reports francebleu. Faced with the Senators’ vote banning the wearing of the veil during school outings for accompanying mothers, they indicate that this law will simply penalize their children, since almost all the women who participate in the outings are veiled, the same source points out.

Others see it as an injustice. "Soon, there will be an outing for my daughter and I won’t be able to participate because of the law. What can I explain to her? That mom is not welcome? It’s an injustice," laments this mother.

Gathered in front of the prefecture, the protesters appreciated the message of Ali Sahab, President of the Association of Muslims of the Territory of Belfort. The first official read a letter addressed to the President of the Republic, Emmanuel Macron, before handing the document to Prefect David Philot, the same media specifies.

In her speech, the President recalled the wish of all French citizens of the Muslim faith. According to her, they just want to be treated the same way as everyone else. "We are not asking for privileges, but simply the application of the law," added Ali Sahab.

After the successful organization of this first outing, a next national gathering is planned in Paris on November 10, the same source indicates.