AhlulBayt News Agency: Controversy is mounting around France Info after the Grand Mosque of Paris announced it has filed a formal complaint with Arcom, France’s audiovisual regulator, in response to a broadcast segment it described as “shameful” and “extremely serious.”
The uproar stems from comments made by journalist Virginie Lecasble, who referred to Muslims in France as a “demographic threat” and accused them of being “inherently antisemitic.”
In a statement signed by Rector Chams-Eddine Hafiz, the Grand Mosque expressed its “strongest indignation” at these remarks, calling them a “racist rant” and linking them to the conspiratorial narrative of the so-called “great replacement.”
Remarks Considered Stigmatizing
During the broadcast, Lecasble voiced concern about birth rates among immigrant populations, drawing comparisons between Muslim and Jewish demographics in France. Although an attempt was made to correct the statements on air, the Grand Mosque of Paris condemned the fact that such discourse was aired on a publicly funded platform.
The statement stressed: “Portraying Muslims as a threat and accusing them of inherent antisemitism is a form of stigmatization that must not be normalized.”
The Grand Mosque reiterated its longstanding opposition to importing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict into French society and emphasized the importance of social cohesion. It warned against the normalization of Islamophobic rhetoric, citing an IFOP survey it commissioned which found that one in two Muslims in France—including non-practicing individuals—has experienced discrimination.
Second Complaint to Arcom in a Week
This is not the first time the institution has taken action. On September 16, its rector filed a complaint with Arcom following comments by Jean-Marc Sylvestre on BFMTV, who referred to Arabic as a “Muslim language.” Chams-Eddine Hafiz condemned what he called “live Muslimophobia,” stating that it is unacceptable to equate the Arabic language with a religious identity.
In its latest statement, the Grand Mosque of Paris concluded by reminding that the French Republic is built on “brotherhood among all its citizens, not on the spread of fantasies.”
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