This 25-year-old man called on TikTok to shoot people who demonstrated against the Algerian regime in France. The suspect, who lives in Brest, will be tried on February 24.
The Algerian influencer «Zazou Youcef»Youcef A., his real first name, who called on the social network TikTok to commit violence against opponents of the Algerian regime in France, was placed in pre-trial detention, the Brest prosecutor's office said in a press release this Saturday, January 4.
“He is being prosecuted before the Brest criminal court according to the deferred appearance procedure for acts of public apology for an act of terrorism committed by means of an online public communication service”specifies the public prosecutor. “He will appear on February 24, 2025 at 1:30 p.m. He faces a sentence of 7 years in prison and a fine of 100,000 euros. While awaiting the hearing, he was placed in pre-trial detention.details the Brest prosecutor's office in this press release.
“Shoot them (…) We will rape you”
The 25-year-old suspect was arrested Friday morning in a district of Brest (Finistère) in the company of another Algerian aged 41, suspected of being his accomplice, who was housing him. “The Algerian influencer (…) who called on his community to commit attacks in France will have to answer for his actions before the courts. (…) Don’t let anything slip through”announced the Minister of the Interior, Bruno Retailleau, on the social network , according to the prosecution. The supposed accomplice was exonerated and released.
«Zazou Youcef» was followed by more than 400,000 subscribers on TikTok before the platform banned his account for “non-compliance with community rules”. “Violent and hateful organizations or people have no place on TikTok”indicates TikTok at Figaro. In a first video published on December 31, the influencer threatened to commit attacks against people who demonstrated against the Algerian regime during the New Year. “We're going to make you like in the 90s. We're going to shoot you (…) Do you want to go out on January 1st? Shoot them, we have to make the powder speak. President Tebboune (the Algerian president, Editor’s note), shoot them, they want chaos”he explained to the camera, in Arabic, while miming shots with his hands.
“When the police informed me that they had detected this video, I asked them to contact the prosecution immediately so that a judicial investigation would immediately give us the means to investigate”the prefect of Finistère, Alain Espinasse, told AFP on Friday.
In a second video posted a few days later, the influencer persisted. “We are at war. At the slightest misstep we will screw your mothers”he explained, miming a throat-slitting gesture. He then filmed himself in the streets of Brest. “Come and face us. If you have something to say, we're here. We're going to fuck you, piss on you, we're going to rape you then fuck your mother (…) Long live Algeria, I'm going to finish you off.”he threatened.
He had participated in the 2023 riots
Born in Mostaganem in the northwest of Algeria, Youcef A. declared that he arrived in France in 2020, and received a residence permit in March 2023, valid until March 14, 2024, according to the prefect of Finistère Alain Espinasse. “He had a residence permit as the parent of a French child since he had a child with a person of French nationality”specified the prefect.
Youcef A. was convicted by criminal order in January 2023 for theft. During the violent urban riots which shook France after the death of Nahel in June 2023, he was arrested for having taken part in the damage to a sports complex in Brest and sentenced in December by the criminal court to twelve months in prison .
“He appealed immediately after his conviction”which explains why he was not imprisoned, Alain Espinasse told AFP. According to the Rennes Court of Appeal, the hearing of his appeal trial is pending. “Given the facts of which he was guilty, when his residence permit expired in March 2024, I decided not to renew it and he was notified on April 18, 2024 an obligation to leave French territory (OQTF)also indicated the prefect. After the issuance of his OQTF, Youcef A. was included in the wanted persons file (FPR).
A second Algerian influencer, also targeted by an OQTF, was also taken into police custody on Friday in Échirolles (Isère), for “death threats materialized in writing, image or other object committed because of race, ethnicity, nation or religion”.
