Mayor’s Anti-Muslim Remarks in France Sparks Widespread Backlash Following Limoges Unrest
Mayor’s Anti-Muslim Remarks in France Sparks Widespread Backlash Following Limoges Unrest
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The mayor of Limoges, Emile Roger Lombertie, has faced widespread criticism after making remarks perceived as anti-Muslim following violent clashes in the city’s Val de l’Aurence neighborhood on July 18–19. During the unrest, around 100 masked youths attacked police officers with mortars, Molotov cocktails, and baseball bats, injuring nine officers.
Lombertie attributed the violence to “Salafist Muslim fundamentalists” and linked the unrest to the “Mexicanization of neighborhoods” and an alleged alliance between “Muslim ideology” and the far-left party La France Insoumise (LFI). He also described the residents as behaving “like animals” when mistreated.
His statements drew condemnation across political lines. Socialist city councilor Gulsen Yildirim called them “irresponsible and dangerous,” while the Socialist Party denounced the use of stereotypes targeting a religious group. Four of Lombertie’s deputy mayors publicly distanced themselves from his remarks, calling the animal comparison “unacceptable.”
LFI deputy Damien Maudet referred the matter to the public prosecutor for “insulting a group based on origin or religion.” Jérémy Eldid of the Radical Party of the Left urged firmness against offenders but warned against collective stigmatization.
The controversy highlights growing concerns over the normalization of anti-Muslim rhetoric in French politics amid ongoing debates on immigration, secularism, and urban violence. Lombertie has yet to confirm if he will seek re-election in 2026.
