Outcry in France over Mayor’s Anti-Muslim Remarks Following Limoges Unrest

IQNA – The mayor of Limoges has sparked widespread backlash over remarks widely condemned as anti-Muslim, following a night of violent clashes between masked youths and police in the French city.

On July 18–19, Limoges saw intense confrontations in the Val de l’Aurence neighborhood, where around a hundred masked individuals attacked police with mortars, Molotov cocktails, and baseball bats. Nine officers were injured.

While investigations are underway into the violence, the political fallout centers on controversial statements made by Mayor Emile Roger Lombertie, whose rhetoric has drawn condemnation across party lines.

"Many of them are Salafist Muslim fundamentalists," Lombertie said in media interviews, adding that the unrest stems from the "Mexicanization of neighborhoods" and the alleged convergence of "Muslim ideology" with that of the far-left La France Insoumise (LFI) party. In a separate interview with Boulevard Voltaire, he said, “When people are treated like animals and left free like animals, they behave like animals.”

Socialist city councilor Gulsen Yildirim condemned the remarks as "irresponsible and dangerous." The Socialist Party issued a statement denouncing "stereotypes and caricatures" aimed at a segment of the population based on religion.

Four of Lombertie's own deputy mayors — Vincent Brousse, Muriel Laskar, Samia Riffaud, and Vincent Léonie — publicly distanced themselves, calling the animal comparison "unacceptable."

LFI deputy Damien Maudet announced he has referred the case to the public prosecutor under Article 40 of the French Code of Criminal Procedure for "insulting a group of people based on their origin or religion."

Jérémy Eldid of the Radical Party of the Left (PRG) also urged caution, saying: "We must be firm with offenders who threaten public peace, but that firmness should never justify collective stigmatization."

The backlash comes amid heightened political tensions in France, where debates over immigration, secularism, and urban violence have become increasingly polarized. Critics say Lombertie’s remarks echo long-standing Islamophobic narratives that seek to link social unrest with religious identity.

Lombertie’s rhetoric has amplified concerns about the normalization of anti-Muslim sentiment in French political discourse. Although he has not confirmed a bid for re-election in the 2026 municipal race, his comments have already ignited a local political firestorm.

Source: Agencies