A Muslim man gave a shocking answer amid ongoing rioting in France in a now-viral man-on-the-street interview, telling a reporter it’s now their “turn” to colonize a nation they deem racist.
Thousands have rioted since June 27, when a police officer shot and killed a 17-year-old who investigators say refused to stop for police. Muslim immigrants, as well as critics around the world including the U.N., have blamed the riots on “institutional racism” in France. In a matter-of-fact interview with Ezra Levant, a man, identified as Mohammed, painted a frightening picture of Muslim resentment within the European nation.
“They colonized us for 132 years and now it’s our turn to come here — and how can I explain it — they colonized us for 132 years, and now we will colonize them for life, until death, until the end of time,” the man declared when asked why Muslim immigrants would flood a country they consider racist.
With Marseille, France being recently filled with riots for nearly a week following a fatal police shooting of a Muslim teenager, Ezra went and spoke to members of the Muslim community.
FULL REPORT by @EzraLevant: https://t.co/DYWA6Y4bwM pic.twitter.com/wy0IgCxlR3
— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) July 7, 2023
It is unclear what 132-year period he referred to, although French soldiers fought against the West African Kingdom of Dahomey in 1890 and the French government later signed treaties with African leaders permitting annexation of large parts of the Western Sudan.
Some 3,486 arrests have been made amid rioting in Paris, Marseille, Lyon, and other major cities so far, according to interior ministry figures. An estimated 1,105 buildings have been set on fire or damaged and 5,892 vehicles have been been burned, according to the interior ministry. Some estimates say damage to businesses, which have been looted and set ablaze, top $1 billion.
According to Reuters, the teenager killed by police, identified as Nahel M., was stopped in the Paris suburb of Nanterre after driving in the bus lane during a traffic jam. When he refused to provide a license and then tried to drive away, the officer shot him in the left arm and chest, according to the Nanterre public prosecutor, who added that the officer feared the teenager would start a car chase and injure others. Police said Nahel M. had been known to ignore traffic stops before.
“We are concerned by the killing of a 17-year-old of North African descent by police in France on Tuesday,” U.N. human rights office spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said. “We note that an investigation has been launched into alleged voluntary homicide. This is a moment for the country to seriously address the deep issues of racism and discrimination in law enforcement.”
Interactions involving members of the largely Islamic migrant community and police in France have provoked riots many times before, according to Sky News. In 1979, after a young North African person was arrested, riots ensued in the Lyon suburb of Vaulx-en-Velin. Riots occurred again at least 11 times between 1991 and 2017.
Related: UN Finds Familiar Scapegoat After Muslim Migrants Riot In Major French Cities