France: Hate Stickers in Orléans Ignite Islamophobia Debate
Islamophobic stickers in Orléans and the murder of a Muslim man spark nationwide protests against rising hate in France
By Abdullahi Yusuf
Islamophobic and neo-Nazi stickers were discovered this week in downtown Orléans, France, including at the University of Orléans campus.
The stickers featured threatening slogans like “Muslim-free zone,” violent imagery, and phrases such as “Good Night, Left Side.”
Investigative outlet ICI traced the stickers to an online store linked to far-right extremism, selling nationalist, supremacist, and neo-Nazi merchandise.
Although the site has been taken offline following a complaint, ICI revealed that the company behind it, registered in 2024 in Normandy, continues to operate.
Messages praising Adolf Hitler were found on the platform’s private messaging service. Local residents expressed alarm, describing the incident as a sign of a far-right emboldened by public discourse.
Images of the stickers, widely shared on social media, drew sharp condemnation from political leaders.
Leftist MP Thomas Portes attributed the incident to Islamophobic rhetoric promoted by French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau and his political allies.
Orléans officials, including Prefect Sophie Brocas, condemned the stickers as incitement to hatred and violence, pledging to file legal complaints and investigate through video surveillance.
The University of Orléans also announced it is taking legal action, calling the stickers a violation of its values.
Broader issue of Islamophobia
The incident comes amid heightened tensions following the April 25 murder of Aboubakar Cisse, a Senegalese Muslim, at Hatice Mosque in La Grand-Combe, Gard.
The attacker, Olivier H., reportedly stabbed Cisse multiple times while recording the assault, shouting anti-Islamic slurs.
Cisse’s murder has sparked nationwide protests against Islamophobia, with demonstrators taking to the streets of Paris, Marseille, Lyon, and other cities.
Protesters carried signs reading “Islamophobia kills” and “Retailleau, Aboubakar’s blood is on your hands,” accusing state policies and media rhetoric of fueling hate crimes.
In Paris, thousands gathered at Bastille Square before marching to Nation Square, chanting “Stop Islamophobia” and “Paris against fascism.”
The demonstrators demanded justice for Cisse and called for an end to policies targeting Muslims and migrants.
France has seen growing criticism from human rights advocates over its treatment of minority communities, with calls for greater accountability from both the state and media in addressing Islamophobia.
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