Origins of the slogan
A mysterious slogan, "Bismillah, c’est les ténèbres," has become emblematic of the large-scale high school mobilization ongoing since September 2026 in France, which has gradually expanded to universities. Source of the phrase
According to online narratives, the phrase originated from Snapchat messages sent by a police account attempting to infiltrate mobilized high school students. The account aimed to blend in with the demonstrators but failed to do so convincingly. Meaning of the slogan
The expression combines a common Arabic formula with a familiar French turn, creating a phrase that amuses while raising questions about how institutions attempt to address youth and the stereotypes they mobilize. The phrase has been reused and transformed into a slogan, highlighting the creativity of the demonstrators. Language and context
The expression "Bismillah" means "in the name of God" and is said before undertaking something, while "c’est les ténèbres" translates to "it is the darkness." The combination of these phrases seems to aim to "sound young" or "sound like neighborhoods, suburbs, quarters." Infiltration attempt details
The account behind the messages was trying to pass itself off as a high school student but spectacularly missed its goal. The message also included a name with an African-sounding consonance ("Mamadou") and an Algerian flag (as an emoji), along with other Arabic expressions such as "wallah" and "aïchek." Adoption by students
The phrase has been adopted by high school students to mock police infiltrators, using humor to respond to what has been judged as an aggression without adopting a too serious tone.
