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11/02/2024 07:17:24 am

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French People on Verge of Blaming Muslims Following Deadly ISIS Attacks

French People On The Verge Of Hating Muslims As The Latter Feels The Backlash

(Photo : Reuters) Tension is rising in France as the country attempts to rationalize the recent deadly attacks and make peace with the fact that it is home to so many Muslims.

The recent Paris terror attacks which left 129 civilians dead and scores wounded may be the 'tipping point' for non-Muslims in France to begin venting anger and showing distrust and hostility towards the country's Muslim community - a dark mood that was not present during the January attacks on the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo.

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Reports indicate that unlike the January attacks on the Charlie Hebdo magazine, which left 17 dead, including journalists and cartoonists, this time French people went out to the streets but did not call for solidarity with Muslims after the Friday attacks.

Many Parisians have reportedly exhibited fear and anger as French President Francois Hollande asked Parliament to declare a state of emergency and to change the Constitution for the government to be able to deal with terrorism.

France has always had a complicated relationship with its Muslim communities and this time, it is weighing in on the citizens who are on the verge of hating and distrusting them.

Tough talks are being held among the French government officials  as they plan to adopt security measures such as scrutinizing mosques, extending the state of emergency and possibly restricting the 10,000 or more individuals who have been marked as possible threats to France.

France's Muslim communities have been feeling the backlash brought on by the attacks. Over the weekend, some mosques were desecrated by non-Muslims. Marchers mourning the loss of lives have been involved in heated verbal exchanges with Muslims on the streets.

"We're already feeling the backlash. It started right away," said Latetia Syed, 17, who was with her family paying homage to those who were killed in the Bataclan concert hall.

Syed said there was a deluge of hate mail in her email account and thousands are calling on people to kill Muslims on Facebook.

Authorities have consistently said that France must expel all 'radicalized imams' and this has been done over and over again, but there are still attacks being staged by terror groups.

Experts said these radicalized groups, more often than not, were trained in the war in Syria or prisons but definitely not in mosques.

"We know, and it is cruel to say it, that on Friday it was French who killed other French," Mr. Hollande told a rare joint emergency session of Parliament on Monday. "There are, living on our soil, individuals who from delinquency go on to radicalization and then to terrorist criminality.

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