The campaign for the second round of the legislative elections is in full swing a few days before the vote. However, there are more and more reports from the field of growing conflict. Or worse, of statements that could lead to prosecution. This is precisely what three activists from the New Popular Front observed when they were leafleting on Tuesday, July 2 in Oullins-Pierre-Bénite for the environmentalist Lucie Gaillot-Durand, who came out on top in the 12e Rhone constituency.
« A lady of about 60 years old said she would vote for the incumbent candidate, which obviously does not pose any problem for us.asks Ismaël, whose first campaign this is at 25 years old. But the message deteriorated and she attacked the program of the New Popular Front and “those who are in their social housing and who do nothing, and the Fatma [terme utilisé de façon péjorative pour désigner une femme musulmane] she gets benefits,” and brings out a Maghrebi name to illustrate. With my friends, we considered that we were slipping into racism so we stopped there ” he says.
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The rest of the exchange is recounted by his friend Agathe: “ Another activist who had not heard resumes the discussion, and the person continues: “I know the Maghrebis. When we lived in council housing, they destroyed everything, they are all dirty.” At the time it was extremely unpleasant for us, tears immediately came to Ismaël who is racialized. This campaign is trying, we are faced with uninhibited racism. »
“It affects half of my identity”
A third activist, Joachim, continues: “ Discussions are difficult because of the very fast campaign. People already have a very strong opinion, it is quite difficult to discuss and we see a great deal of violence that I have never seen even though I have already done a few campaigns. This morning, this is reflected in a passerby who throws the leaflet in our face, or a passerby who made racist remarks, and who did not realize it. »
For Ishmael, it was too much: ” I stopped campaigning. I am very sad, devastated. I think of my family, my Maghrebi friends, and I think of the danger of what is happening right now. I am Franco-Algerian, it affects half of my identity. I wanted to speak out because I am convinced that among the people who are campaigning right now and who are racialized, it happens and we don’t talk about it. »
