News / Reports

Anti-Muslim acts up 70% in France

Wednesday, 11 February 2015 6:51 PM [ Last Update: Wednesday, 11 February 2015 6:51 PM ]

Ramin Mazaheri
Press TV, Paris

France’s top anti-Islamophobia group issued its annual report for 2014, noting an 11% increase in discriminatory acts against Muslims over 2013. But that rise pales in comparison to what the Muslim community has endured in the month following the Charlie Hebdo attacks.

Since January 7, reported Islamophobic acts are up 70%, 33 mosques have been desecrated – more than all of last year, physical aggressions are up sharply and one murder widely-believed to be the result of racism has gone ignored by the nation’s media.

The report’s authors said that Islamophobia is institutionalized, often-ignored and not given the same cultural importance as discrimination against women, Jews and other minorities.

But racism in France is at shocking levels for so many minorities: Discriminatory acts towards Jews doubled in 2014; a recent report said that last year 80% of the nation’s Roma had been evicted, a higher rate than any other country.Much like a wave of reports about France’s Jews, France’s Muslims are also considering leaving the country.

While the Islamophobic backlash to the Charlie Hebdo attacks has been vicious, the report illustrates how bad things already were for France’s Muslims. It’s up to the government to remedy the situation, but all indications point to more anti-Muslim policies, instead of less.

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