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In Marseille, a great united front steps up against anti-Algerian racism
Associations, sports clubs and personalities say “stop the stigma”
Very sensitive to the growth of the economy on both sides of the Mediterranean shore and very proud to belong to another country, to another culture, to be dual nationals, to be Algerians too, the approximately 300,000 Franco-Algerians who reside in the city of Marseille do not, however, lack love for their country, France. Yet they continue to experience cowardly persecutory racism on a daily basis, fueled by manipulative media serving satanic agendas. Touched in their self-esteem, Franco-Algerians decided to act, to fight back and break the silence against identity-based racism. A united front and a single request: “Stop the stigma! “. In Marseille, the weather is now in full swing after the “racist” storm which shook the climate of the Algerian diaspora and those of the Muslim, African, Asian and even European communities established in France.
A collective bringing together non-profit associations, sports clubs and personalities has just been born in Marseille, the second largest city in France, where more than 300,000 Franco-Algerians live.
The objective of this large-scale action is to build a solid barrier against the stigmatization, discrimination and racism, to which the Algerian community and those of other lineages established in France were subjected.
These are Cesam (Centre for social interventions in an intercultural environment of Marseille), citizen collective “French-Algerian Gateway”, L’après M, Amazigh cultural association (La Cabucelle), “The best is the future” (Félix Pyat’s youth association), “Citoyens Pluriels”, “Citizens of France”, “Alliance Citizens of the World”, Football club of the Air Bel district, CRAN (Representative council of associations black people), Moudaf (Movement of the Algerian Diaspora of France), this panel of associative movements have just launched a petition to say “Stop the stigma”.
The initiative for this major anti-racism action is created by Franco-Algerians, like the old veteran of social action and ex-president of the Center for Social Interventions in an Intercultural Environment of Marseille (CESAM), the Franco-Algerian Abdelkader Hagoug alongside his nephew Abderrahim Farid Benhagoug who is the president of the non-profit Association “Citoyens Pluriels” as well than other presidents of associative movements from different backgrounds and cultures. They decided to break the silence in the face of liberalization to the escalation of racist speech, in the face of suspicious looks, social distancing and the closing of doors towards the Algerian community established in France.
Joining forces, ten social action actors, in total, decided to build a common front by launching a petition to say “Stop the stigma” which is rife in France and particularly against the Algerian diaspora. They are French, from Marseillais, born to immigrant parents and refuse the stigmatization of which they are victims.
Initiating a manifesto for dignity and equality, the collective declared that the North African and African communities in general and very particularly Algerian, feel “racized” by the rise of anti-Muslim acts in France.
Over the period from January to May 2025 alone, a +75% increase in racist acts against Muslims was noted, according to the latest data from the French Ministry of the Interior. This perfectly confirms the very worrying rise of racism in France.
“The current situation, harmful and nauseating, targets our “racialized” community. Today we speak out. Our silence is no longer an option”, the associations commit, loud and clear, in their petition “Stop the stigma”. The initiators of this anti-racism action also recall other forms of stigmatization to which they are subject, in particular “systemic stigmatization, discrimination in access to housing, employment, education, health, not to mention ordinary and institutional racism,” reports the group of associations. They demand a “more egalitarian Republic, stronger in its values, its justice and its police and a more real representation of the Marseille population in the various political and decision-making bodies”.
Today, silence is no longer an option in the face of racism which is on the rise in France, and the collective of associations of the city of Marseille is more determined than ever to defend its identity, its existence, its belonging, its culture, its added value, its economic, electoral, political and social contribution, with strength and audacity and without allowing itself to be stigmatized. The Algerian diaspora and those of other communities established in France intend to have a full place in French civil society and put an end to excessive discrimination.
Sofiane Abi