The incident has drawn comparisons to a similar murder that occurred in April, which triggered widespread protests against the rise in Islamophobic violence and concerns over the unequal handling of hate crimes by authorities.The case recalls the murder of Aboubakar Cisse, a 22-year-old Malian man stabbed to death while he was praying in a mosque in La Grand-Combe, in southern France, on 25 April.
Rallies were held across France to condemn Islamophobic violence and the unequal treatment of hate crimes.
French Interior Minister Bruno Richelieu, known for his hardline stance on immigrants and what he calls his fight against “political Islam”, was particularly criticized for not issuing an immediate statement.
According to the National Directorate of Territorial Intelligence, anti-Muslim acts have increased by 72 percent in the first trimester when compared to the same period last year.
Zekri said the murder was “the result of a growing stigmatisation of Muslims in France”, fuelled by the shift to the right of the political class and the growth of Islamophobic rhetoric.
Source: MIDDLE EAST EYE
