French report downplays “Islamophobia” compared to antisemitism

The Dean of the Grand Mosque of Paris, Shams Eddine Hafiz, questioned the official figures for anti-Muslim acts (Islamophobia) in France, stating that they are lower than the reality, citing the brutal assassination of two members of the Muslim community in the country within less than two months during the current year 2025.

Shams Eddine Hafiz’s questioning of the official figures regarding the targeting of Muslims came after the French National Consultative Commission on Human Rights issued its annual report on the tolerance of the French people towards minorities and racial discrimination. This activity relates to the human rights situation in France, which revealed figures that give the impression that the Jewish community is the most affected by acts of hatred, compared to members of the Muslim community, who constitute more than ten percent of the population in France.

Shams Eddine Hafiz believes, in an interview with the newspaper “Ouest France”, that “Islamophobia” has witnessed a remarkable growth throughout Europe, especially since October 7, 2023, the date that marks the attack carried out by the Palestinian resistance against the Zionist occupation army in the settlements surrounding the besieged Gaza Strip.

The report issued by the French National Consultative Commission on Human Rights placed the Jewish community in France as the most targeted by threats labeled as “antisemitism”, while acts targeting the Muslim community come in second place in terms of number. In 2024, the French Ministry of Interior recorded 173 cases targeting members of the Muslim community, and two brutal murders were committed, which have a clear connection to the religious dimension.

The Dean of the Paris Grand Mosque attributes the low number of acts related to Islamophobia to the victims of this phenomenon not reporting them, unlike members of other communities, especially the Jewish one, which explains their high number, as also indicated by the report issued by the French National Consultative Commission on Human Rights.

Shams Eddine Hafiz reveals that he himself was subjected to acts related to hatred of Islam and Muslims. The incident, as he said, occurred in a French restaurant, and the perpetrator was a French husband, which indicates that the incident has a discriminatory racial dimension, as the party that committed the act is not related to one person only, which gives it another, more dangerous dimension.

The seriousness of the acts threatening members of the Muslim community is confirmed by the two brutal murders, which claimed the life of the young Malian Muslim, Abu Bakr Sisi, who was subjected to about 57 treacherous stab wounds on April 25 last, in a French mosque while he was prostrating. Also, the young Tunisian, Hisham Mirawi, was subjected to an assassination on May 31 last, on the basis of religion or race.

The criminals were charged with terrorism, while a terrorist group, formed to kill Muslims and planned to poison halal food, is being prosecuted.

The report revealed shocking figures regarding the French perception of immigrants. 60 percent of those surveyed believed that immigrants come to France to benefit from social security, and 46 percent of French people consider immigration to be the main cause of insecurity, and 36 percent of them believe that Jews have a special relationship with money, while Roma remain the most rejected minority.

The report also discussed the repercussions of racism on immigrants, stating that it leaves harmful effects on the mental and physical health of victims, such as isolation, anxiety, and depression.