Speech & Censorship

Academics & Education

France: No Samuel Paty school after backlash over name change A French town won't rename a school after Samuel Paty — who was slain by an Islamist extremist — following backlash from teachers and parents. The move marks a sign of deeper divisions in French society.

February 8, 2021   

(Deutsche Welle) No one at the school “The Eucalypts” in the village of Ollioules, near the Mediterranean coast in southern France, wants to talk to the media anymore. Sandra Olivier, maths teacher and member of the teachers’ union SNES-FSU, turned down DW’s […]

Academics & Education

French mosque accused of radicalism to reopen earlier Pantin mosque was closed for six months in October for disseminating video criticizing history teacher before his murder

February 2, 2021   

(Anadolu) The Grand Mosque of Pantin near Paris, closed as part of a crackdown against radical Muslims by the French government in the aftermath of history teacher Samuel Paty’s assassination, will soon be reopened, the interior minister announced Monday. The mosque was […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

Vox party account suspended for tweet violating hate speech rules Twitter has suspended the official account of Spain’s right-wing Vox party for a tweet on Islamic immigration that they say violated its hate speech rules.

January 29, 2021   

(Euro Weekly) The tech giant Twitter said that they had briefly suspended the official account of Spain’s right-wing Vox party as one of their tweets had violated their hate speech policy. In order to unlock their account, the company said, all the […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

Congress members demand Facebook take steps to ‘eradicate’ anti-Muslim bias Lawmakers issue a list of demands for Facebook, including creating a working group that addresses anti-Muslim bigotry and hate groups

December 15, 2020   

(Middle East Eye) A group of 30 Democratic members of Congress on Tuesday sent a letter to Facebook criticising the social media giant for allowing anti-Muslim sentiments to spread on its platform, and are demanding it takes concrete steps to “eradicate anti-Muslim […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

‘Insulting beliefs far from freedom’: Turkish president Ideological fanaticism has gained more ground, Turkish president tells annual convention of Muslim American Society

November 28, 2020   

(Anadolu) Decrying rising Islamophobia in Western countries, the Turkish president said Saturday that insulting people’s beliefs has nothing to do with freedom. “You have been closely following the meanness in France towards the Prophet [Muhammad] under the label of ‘freedom of thought’,” […]

Demonstrations

Members of Syrian Community Centre of Windsor protest, condemn France over Muhammad cartoons The group of about 30 held up signs condemning French President Emmanuel Macron

October 31, 2020   

(CBC) Members of the Syrian Community Centre of Windsor gathered outside city hall on Friday to protest France’s reaction to Muhammad cartoons. The group of about 30 held up signs condemning French President Emmanuel Macron for recent “anti-Muslim comments” and his staunch […]

Government & Politics

Macron says he understands Muslims’ shock over prophet cartoons In an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera, French President Emmanuel Macron says he understands the ‘sentiments’ being expressed by the Muslim world over cartoons of Prophet Muhammad.

October 31, 2020   

(Al-Jazeera) French President Emmanuel Macron says he understands the feelings of Muslims who are shocked by the displaying of cartoons of Prophet Muhammad but added that the “radical Islam” he is trying to fight is a threat to all people, especially Muslims. […]