Racist Incident in French Parliament Triggers Condemnations

Date: 04 November 2022 - 21:41

News ID: ۱۰۸۵۹۰

PARIS (AP) — A Black lawmaker said Friday he was “deeply hurt” after a far-right member of the French parliament made a racist remark during a legislative session, something that has triggered condemnations from across the political spectrum.
The comments shocked many, up to France’s president himself, and raised new questions about xenophobia on the far right and other parts of French society.
Gregoire de Fournas of the far-right National Rally party was heard shouting the words “return to Africa” at the lawmaker, Carlos Martens Bilongo, who was challenging the government Thursday about migrants stranded at sea.
The words prompted immediate uproar in the legislature, leading the president of the National Assembly to suspend the session and launch an investigation. A meeting of the Assembly’s managing body was set on Friday afternoon to decide about potential sanctions.
Due to the uproar and the muffling of the words, it was unclear whether de Fournas said that Bilongo should return to Africa or that the migrants should.
French anti-racist groups stressed that regardless of who was targeted, the comments echo a racist insult toward Black people being told to go back to Africa.
French group SOS Racisme called it “the true face of the far-right: that of racism.” Its president, Dominique Sopo, said “obviously they are extremely violent comments,” no matter what de Fournas was saying precisely.
Speaking Friday on French news broadcaster BFM TV, Bilongo called for de Fournas’ resignation.
He said he received thousands of messages following the incident from people telling him that they hear similar comments in their everyday life. The words “speak to many French who felt hurt,” Bilongo said.
Bilongo, who is from the hard-left France Unbowed party, praised the immediate reaction of anger shown by a large majority of lawmakers from across the political spectrum.
The International League Against Racism and Anti-Semitism condemned the comments as “disgusting” and showing “blatant inhumanity.”