The Department of Bouches-du-Rhône, led by President Martine Vassal, has paused the approval of a 90,000 euro grant for the Actoral festival in Marseille. This decision followed controversy over remarks made by one of the festival's invitees, Louisa Yousfi. Yousfi, a journalist, literary critic, and decolonial activist, is scheduled to present her book La grande méthode on October 6. The festival's organizers have stated they will keep Yousfi on the program, defending the freedom of artistic expression. The controversy began after parts of an interview with Yousfi were shared on social media, including by far-right platforms like Fdesouche. In the interview, Yousfi discussed "the Whites" who need to be "saved" because they are "alienated in a relationship of domination in their favor" and are "not attached to what is called generic humanity." This led to a complaint from National Rally deputy Jean-Philippe Tanguy, who announced on X that he would file a report against Yousfi for alleged racism. Martine Vassal stated in a press release that she had asked for the immediate suspension of the grant decision for the Actoral festival after reports of Yousfi's controversial statements. She emphasized that while freedom of expression is a fundamental democratic principle, it should not lead to ignoring the values of the Republic. The department has asked the Actoral festival to explain its programming choices and the actions it plans to take regarding the situation. No funding decisions will be made until the festival responds. The Actoral festival's organizers argue that Yousfi was invited for her work as an author and the originality of her literary approach. They claim that the statements attributed to her were taken out of context and presented as excerpts. They insist that the statements should be viewed in their entirety and within the context of the interview and her literary and intellectual work. They reject the idea that her comments were racist. The festival is concerned about the future of cultural funding and the independence of artists and festivals supported by the state and local authorities. The suspension of the grant comes at a time when the festival's artistic, technical, administrative, and financial commitments have already been made, raising concerns about the sustainability of the festival and its activities. La Fabrique éditions, Yousfi's publisher, has strongly defended her against what it calls a campaign by the far-right. The publisher described Yousfi as an anti-racist, dignified, uncompromising, and literary voice that has skillfully echoed the fate of post-colonial immigration in France.