Attack in Trappes

On 23 October, an individual opened fire in Trappes, a town in the Paris region, targeting passersby who were not white. The attack resulted in one death and five injuries, including a 12-year-old girl. The suspect reportedly told police he wanted to target "Black and Arab people."

Macron's Response and Controversy

French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the incident as a "racist attack" and labeled it the "first" terrorist act based on "skin color or religion." His remarks sparked immediate controversy, as similar attacks targeting people by race or religion have occurred in France before. The Ministry of the Interior reported 9,737 racist, xenophobic, or anti-religious crimes and offenses in 2025, a 5% increase from the previous year.

Racism in French Society

Hate based on assumed origin or religion appears to be more unashamed than ever. This is the result of a long history of systemic racism in France. An exhibition at the Musée de la Porte Dorée in Paris, titled Aux Origines, regards croisés sur le racisme et les discriminations, highlighted the discrimination faced by people with real or assumed origins. A 2026 study by SOS Racisme found that 50% of real estate agencies accept discriminatory requests from property owners regarding the origin of potential tenants. In employment, having a name of Maghreb origin reduces the chances of being contacted by a recruiter by a third.

Expert Insights on Racism

Solène Brun, a sociologist at CNRS and co-author of Domination blanche, notes that racism is often treated lightly, despite being inscribed in the law since 1972. She argues that racism is a power relationship that divides humanity based on supposed races. She cautions against the idea that racism is worse now than in the past, questioning the narrative that the 1980s-1990s were a time when it was pleasant to be perceived as non-white in France.

Historical Roots of Racism

Francisco Béthencourt, a historian and author of Racismes, histoire du racisme, des croisades au XXe siècle, believes the formation of racism predates colonial slavery. He points to the forced conversions to Catholicism in the Iberian Peninsula during the Middle Ages as an early form of ethnic prejudice. Solène Brun adds that the exclusion of Jews from Spain becomes racial when it continues to persecute converts and their descendants, emphasizing that racism can exist without skin color being the main marker.

Racism in Economic Structures

Aurélia Michel, author of Un monde en nègre et blanc, explains that the creation of racism as an ideology began with the plantation economy in the 16th century in French colonies. Enslaved Africans were categorized as inferior to white colonists, establishing the premises of white supremacy. She notes that racism is a project of domination and oppression that persists in modern economic structures, with inequalities based on North/South asymmetry continuing to affect global labor and resource distribution.

Racial Terminology and Legal Frameworks

The term "racist" became prominent in the 1920s and 1930s to describe the policies of far-right totalitarian regimes. Historian Francisco Béthencourt explains that the term was used to define Nazi theories aiming to persecute Jews. In France, the expression "French of the stock" has been used to stigmatize people of non-French origin. This terminology has historical roots, first used to stigmatize foreign Jews in the 19th century, and continues to devalue those whose ancestry is not considered French.

Contemporary Racist Trends

In France, informal racism persists despite the absence of institutional support. Francisco Béthencourt notes that this form of racism is evident in the world of work, education, and housing. Aurélia Michel highlights a third level of racism that involves political affects, which are more difficult to control. Recent incidents, such as the Trappes attack and the murder of Aboubacar Cissé, reflect a climate of stigmatization and hatred of Muslims, exacerbated by media coverage that emphasizes negative stereotypes.