France: Thousands join Paris suburb mayor to protest racism

Saint-Denis, the biggest suburb of Paris, witnessed a large gathering against racism on Saturday, led by its newly elected Black mayor, Bally Bagayoko. The event drew thousands of supporters, including representatives from labor groups, community organizations, and cultural groups. Bagayoko, a 52-year-old candidate for the far-left France Unbowed (LFI) party, was elected in the first round of municipal elections on March 15.

Since taking office, Bagayoko has faced racial slurs and false narratives, even on French national television. Prosecutors in Paris have launched an inquiry into potential racist public insults, while the mayor himself has lodged a formal complaint against the network. The rally came in response to recent comments by a guest on the CNews channel, which is linked to the ultraconservative Vincent Bollore and often likened to France’s Fox News.

Born to Malian parents in France, Bagayoko spent his youth in Saint-Denis, a town known for its cultural diversity and significant immigrant population. Speaking to the crowd, he emphasized the importance of republican values and criticized “failing, sometimes even complicit institutions” for fostering prejudice. “We come to state firmly and definitively our visceral attachment to the values of the republic embodied by those who are heirs of immigration,” Bagayoko said in a

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LFI leader Jean-Luc Melenchon joined the demonstration, accusing political and media figures of “a sickening wave of racism.” He highlighted the lack of restraint from elites who have shown disdain for a segment of the population. In addition to CNews, the social media platform X is also under scrutiny for racist remarks. French Prime Minister Sebastian Lecornu has condemned the “normalisation of evil and racism” after a far-right campaign targeted the mayor.