Government & Politics

Deadly knife attack reignites France’s politically charged immigration debate How the government responds to Saturday’s tragedy will have domestic and geopolitical ramifications.

(Politico) French Prime Minister François Bayrou will hold an emergency meeting Wednesday to draw up a response to a deadly weekend knife attack in the Alsatian city of Mulhouse. The alleged perpetrator of the incident is a 37-year-old Algerian citizen, a French […]

Immigration

Mulhouse terrorist had previously been jailed for October 7 support, French minister reveals 'In 2023, he was arrested a few weeks after the Hamas massacre on October 7, 2023, and convicted for promoting terrorism,' Retailleau said on X Sunday.

(Jerusalem Post) The Algerian Islamist terrorist who murdered one and wounded several more people in Mulhouse, France, on Saturday had been arrested and convicted for promoting terrorism in the wake of the October 7 massacre, according to French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau. […]

Academics & Education

France: Muslim private schools under threat of closure After French authorities ended the last association contract with a Muslim school, the community and its leaders denounce Islamophobic and discriminatory measures

(Middle East Eye) More than 600 primary and secondary students at the Al Kindi private Muslim school group, located in the suburbs of Lyon, in central-eastern France, risk not returning to their school at the start of the next academic year. On […]

Crime

Ultranationalist Algerian influencers wage war on France Several online activists have been arrested over the past few weeks for inciting violence. Some have TikTok accounts with more than 400,000 followers.

(Politico) Ultranationalist social media influencers from Algeria are spreading hate across France — the country that used to rule it. The trend has triggered a wave of nervousness in government in Paris, with several high-profile arrests over the past few weeks. A […]

Government & Politics

Algeria lashes out at France after failed deportation of TikTok influencer Algeria’s defiant rejection of France’s complaints reveals a regime desperately trying to deflect attention from its diplomatic failures by blaming 'far-right' French officials.

(Morocco World News) In a combative response that further strains diplomatic relations, Algeria rejected French accusations of “escalation” and “humiliation” on Saturday, January 11, after refusing to accept a deported Algerian social media influencer. The latest diplomatic row erupted when Algerian authorities […]

Demonstrations

French court hands activist five-month suspended sentence for ‘intifada in Paris’ call Pro-Palestine campaigner Elias d'Imzalene declares victory after charges 'could've resulted in 15-year jail sentence'

(Middle East Eye) A prominent French pro-Palestine activist has been handed a five-month suspended jail sentence for calling for an “intifada in Paris” during a protest earlier this year. Following a trial that began on 23 October, Elias d’Imzalene was sentenced and […]

Government & Politics

Macron, hard-line interior minister agree to disagree on immigration crackdown after first meeting The meeting was described as an opportunity to share perspectives — without the goal of reaching an agreement.

(Politico) When Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau headed over to the Elysée palace to meet President Emmanuel Macron on Monday, he wasn’t looking for commonality. He went to stand his ground. Macron and Retailleau spoke face to face for the first [time] since […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

Outcry after researcher says prominent French mayor ‘appears Muslim’ Israeli-Gaza conflict is hugely sensitive topic in France, home to Europe's largest Muslim and Jewish communities

(National-UAE) Senior French officials have rallied behind Karim Bouamrane, a prominent mayor of Moroccan origin, in response to remarks widely viewed as racist by a researcher who said he is “Muslim in appearance” and suggested his popularity comes from his refusal to […]

Government & Politics

France’s interior minister says he ‘does not rule out’ banning the Muslim Brotherhood Right-winger Bruno Retailleau, appointed in September, also advocates for a new criminal offence to fight 'insidious' political Islam in the country

(Middle East Eye) The new French interior minister, Bruno Retailleau, has declared that he is not ruling out classifying the Muslim Brotherhood as a “terrorist” group and banning it, while advocating for the establishment of a new criminal offence to fight political […]

Government & Politics

The French government wants a new immigration law for 2025 The new measures, which could include extending detention and limiting regularisation for migrants, may spark further divisions in the French Parliament.

(Euronews) The French government is pushing for a new immigration law by early 2025, according to spokesperson Maud Bregeon, who announced the plans on BFMTV. The move comes just a year after the last immigration bill, which faced sharp divisions in Parliament […]

Government & Politics

New York eatery spreads Netanyahu photo on floor for customers to step on Palestinian-American shawarma joint introduces 'floor of shame' of images of prominent world leaders, with owner asking patrons to step on them to receive service

(Ynet) Popular Palestinian shawarma restaurant King of Falafel and Shawarma located in New York is asking diners to step on a picture of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as they enter. The eatery’s owner placed images of political leaders including Netanyahu and U.S. […]

Government & Politics

FM says ‘Iranian terrorist proxies’ might attack Israeli athletes, tourists in Paris Katz thanks France for ‘unprecedented’ measures to protect delegation to Olympics; hackers say they posted personal info of athletes, claiming they are covert IDF agents

(Times of Israel) Foreign Minister Israel Katz sent a letter to his French counterpart Stéphane Séjourné on Thursday, warning him of an Iranian-backed plot to attack Israeli tourists and athletes at the 2024 Paris Olympics. “There are those who seek to undermine […]

Internet

Fake video of threat to Olympic Games appears to be from Russia, researchers say Microsoft’s Threat Analysis Center, which reviewed the video at NBC News’ request, said it appears to have come from a known Russian disinformation group.

(NBC) A video spreading on X and Telegram of a man purporting to be a Hamas fighter threatening the Olympics in Paris is part of a Russian-linked disinformation campaign meant to disrupt the event, according to researchers at Microsoft. On Telegram, Hamas […]

Islamic Law

Experts: Muslim Brotherhood pursues caliphate in Europe using soft power The Islamist organisation has infiltrated EU member states and spread its agenda through various innocent-looking organisations.

(European Conservative) An expert on Islamism has highlighted the dangers to Europe of the Muslim Brotherhood through its emphasis on legal rather than “terrorist” methods. Dr. Lorenzo Vidino told a recent European conference how the Brotherhood is a “social network,” united by […]

Government & Politics

French government opposes Muslim Brotherhood (finally) France’s interior minister calls for an institutional battle to prevent French society from falling into the 'Islamic matrix.'

(European Conservative) France’s minister of the interior, Gérald Darmanin, has announced in the press that he wants to “fight back against the Muslim Brotherhood.” According to territorial intelligence, the Muslim Brotherhood, which aims to establish a global caliphate, has doubled its numbers […]

Children & Teens

Paris Olympics: 16-year-old arrested after he said he wanted to ‘die a martyr’ at Games France previously raised its security alert to its highest level ahead of hosting this summer's Olympic Games amid concerns the event could be overshadowed by security incidents.

(Sky News) A 16-year-old boy has been arrested by anti-terrorism police in France after he allegedly said on social media he wanted to “die a martyr” at the Olympic Games in Paris this summer. A spokesperson said on Wednesday the boy was […]