Trappes shooting, called a terrorist act, leaves one dead and five injured in France

The attack and the investigation

On Friday, 23 October, a 39-year-old Frenchman is suspected of firing shots from a car at passersby in Trappes and La Verrière, two towns southwest of Paris. One person, a 26-year-old Frenchman with roots in the Congo, was killed, and five people were injured, including an 11-year-old girl. BFMTV reported that four of the injured were seriously hurt. The suspect was placed in police custody, and France's anti-terror prosecutors took over the case, investigating among other charges murder in connection with a terrorist enterprise. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez told reporters in Trappes that the investigation was still under way but that the act was clearly a terrorist crime.

Targeting and local anger

Tagesschau.de reported that the attacks apparently targeted Black and Arab people. Ali Rabeh, the mayor of Trappes, places clear political responsibility on the far-right National Rally (RN) and its leader Jordan Bardella, whom he accuses of repeatedly singling out Trappes in derogatory terms. Many at a rally in Paris held white placards reading 'Racism kills' and blamed the French media, including the channel CNews, for passing on racist remarks unfiltered. Demonstrators also accused the government of President Emmanuel Macron of allowing this to happen.

Killed1

Injured5

Killed

1 people

Injured

5 people

Data from the article text

Parliament clash

On Tuesday, 27 October, deputies in the National Assembly observed a minute of silence for the victims, with the chamber's president Yaël Braun-Pivet saying that hatred of others kills. When government questions began, Socialist and Ecologist deputies walked out as Sébastien Chenu, who replaced Marine Le Pen as RN group president, took the floor. Chenu dismissed his opponents' political exploitation of the attack. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu accused the left of playing into the RN's hands and of having deserted the chamber. Answering a question from the ecologist Cyrielle Chatelain, Lecornu linked the climate of hatred to the attack, echoing the words of Trappes mayor Ali Rabeh, who was in the public gallery.

“There are people who voice speeches and words that end up arming others, who then act.”

Media row

On Wednesday, 28 October, Sarah Knafo, a Reconquête member of the European Parliament, was interviewed on France Info about her party's responsibility after the attack. The exchange quickly turned into an argument with the presenters over whether she would describe the attack as racist. Knafo said she had no problem calling it racist, then accused the public broadcaster of dishonesty and pointed to a remark by a sociologist that the station had broadcast.

“I have no problem calling it racist.”

What comes next

Government spokesperson Maud Bregeon announced at the Council of Ministers briefing on Wednesday, 28 October, that a national tribute will be held for the victims. The reports do not give a date for the ceremony. The anti-terror investigation into the suspect is continuing. The political dispute over the RN and its role in the debate is expected to continue in parliament.