Thread by @Equinoxrji

It's time the #EU condemns France's escalating persecution against Muslim people and anti-racism human rights defenders.

Thread below 👇🏾on how France is attacking the rights and freedoms of Muslim people.

Last week, two French Ministers attacked the EU Commissioner for Equality Helena Dalli for meeting with Muslim student youth organisation FEMSYO.

The issue?

Telling the Commissioner about their experience of Islamophobia and outright hate in Europe.

https://twitter.com/helenadalli/status/1461358263136448524

An example of the racism FEMSYO faced was during the European Youth event.

Far-right students harassed FEMSYO representatives, even screaming "Europe is white and Christian".

euractiv.com/section/non-di…

The week before that, the Council of Europe was forced to withdraw a social media campaign on the free choice to wear or not to wear the hijab after heavy protests from Macron’s government and rightwing politicians.

In October, France’s top administrative court approved French authorities’ dissolution of anti-discrimination group Collective Against Islamophobia in France @CCIEurope

The organisation was deemed an “enemy association of the Republic” for calling out institutional Islamophobia

A week later, in an interview in the lead up to the Presidential elections, the French Minister of Interior, Gérald Darmanin, proudly boasted of closing down 559 Muslim structures.

This included 37 mosques, 4 Muslim schools, Islamic publishing houses, 210 establishments such as restaurants run by Muslims.

trtworld.com/opinion/how-fr…

The attack on Muslim people’s freedom in France has been heightening in the last few years.

French parties and politicians are now competing to prove who is more loyal to the so-called "French values" by discriminating against the Muslim minority in the country.

The ongoing persecution has left many Muslims in fear to worship and express their faith.

This has been worsened by the passing of the draconian “anti-separatism” bill.

seehratimes.com/anti-separatis…

Under the guise of “counterterrorism,” the bill significantly expands governmental powers to dissolve Muslim schools, organisations (as seen with the CCIF), places of worship and makes organisations seeking public funds sign a "Republican Contract".

Though depicted as a country that upholds equality and human rights, France has a long history of racism and injustice with Islamophobia being embedded within it’s political culture.

Not only did it colonise Algeria, Britain Aden, Tunisia, Egypt, Sudan, Libya and Morocco, but today, the government and private companies still bomb, arms and extract from countries in Africa and West Asia.

jacobinmag.com/2021/03/africa…

To justify over two hundred years of subjugation and exploitation, French elite have continuously denigrated, oppressed, stereotyped and treated Muslim people as threats and enemies of the state.

Islamphobia in France is already at an all-time high in many sectors, from housing to employment and police brutality.

👉🏾42% of Muslims declare having experienced discrimination due to their religion
👉🏾 60% of Muslim women who wear a veil have faced discrimination

This must end.

euobserver.com/tickers/146535

If the European Union is truly committed to a #UnionofEquality, it’s time to take action.

It must condemn Frances ongoing persecution of Muslim people and anti-racism human rights defenders,