After attacks in France: concerns about growing racism

After attacks in France, fear of right-wing violence is growing As of: October 27, 2026 • 6:56 p.m

After the apparently racist attacks in France, people took to the streets in Paris. Many see right-wing media as responsible - and the Rassemblement National.

People stand tightly packed in the darkness on the square in the north-east of Paris. Some have white cardboard signs in their hands that say: “Racism kills.” She's worried, says Élodie. About yourself, but also about your family.

Because what happened shows how much racism and fascism are on the rise in France, she says. "As a black woman, this really affected me. I have brothers and sisters and it could have affected all of us. I'm here to show that I don't think that's okay."

Andréa is visiting Paris. She was a local politician for a long time, she says. And I noticed that the boundaries of what could be said had shifted. She's afraid that this is just the beginning. Racist statements are being held back less and less in France, says Andréa. "And today they kill."

Many participants also see the media as responsible.

Many at the rally also see the French media as responsible and share the blame for the deadly attacks in Trappes and La Verrière. The accusation is that right-wing broadcasters such as CNews are spreading racist statements unfiltered. The government of President Emmanuel Macron allowed this to happen.

Ali Rabeh, the mayor of Trappes, sees a clear political responsibility: namely with the right-wing national Rassemblement National and its party leader Jordan Bardella.

"Jordan Bardella has repeated ad nauseam, and I quote: 'Trappes is no longer France.' He has called the city a 'miniature Islamist republic' or said that Trappes is 'Kabul 30 minutes from Paris.' This man and his party have made the entire population of Trappes a target, said Rabeh.

On Friday, a 39-year-old Frenchman shot at passers-by in the small towns of Trappes and La Verrière southwest of Paris and apparently targeted black and Arab people. One man died: 26-year-old Pengo Bossio Wangi - Frenchman with roots in Congo. Four people were seriously injured, including an eleven-year-old girl.

One poster reads “Your blood is on your hands.”

The French anti-terror prosecutor's office is investigating, among other things, "murder in connection with a terrorist plan." And investigates the suspicion that the motivation for the crime was to meet people of a "certain ethnic group (...), nation or religion". President Macron drove directly to Trappes and spoke there of a “terrorist and racist attack”.

Anti-terrorism prosecutor Olivier Christen provided information on the status of the investigation on Monday. His authorities got involved because the crime was apparently planned, said Christen. According to Christians, the suspicion of a possible racist motive is based on the profile of the victims: people with Arab or African roots and on statements by the suspect Kévin T.

According to the anti-terror prosecutor, Kévin T. fired a total of 128 shots. After the arrest, a submachine gun, ammunition, a tear gas grenade, handcuffs and a police armband were found in his car.

The participants are afraid of growing racism. The boundaries of what can be said have shifted, says one participant.

But questions remain about the suspect Kévin T. and his motive. When his apartment was searched, a Bible, a Koran and a copy of Adolf Hitler's "Mein Kampf" were found, reports the AFP news agency, citing investigators. Kévin T. is being treated for schizophrenia and was not previously known to the secret services.

According to information from the newspaper Le Monde, Kévin T. told investigators that he wanted to take revenge on the retailers after the looting on October 17th. According to Le Monde, he is also said to have specifically attacked "blacks and Arabs" because he had "enough of them."

According to anti-terror prosecutor Olivier Christen, Kévin T. admits the crime but denies a racist motive. The suspect can remain in police custody until a maximum of Thursday and will be questioned further there.

Student Élodie is happy to see so many people at the rally in Paris and to feel solidarity. "It's not normal to take a bullet just because you're black and someone doesn't like it. For me, all people have the same value," says Elodié.

This topic in the program: NDR Info | News | Oct 27, 2026 | 7:26 p.m