France has been shaken by two distressing episodes of violence at schools within the past week, with allegations that the aggression stems from the nation's Muslim community. A group of young teens brutally assaulted Samara, a 13-year-old girl from Montpellier in the south of France, last Tuesday. The girl narrowly escaped death but fell into a coma, with officials stating that her survival was miraculous.
Some reports suggest that the severe assault on Samara might have been carried out by other Muslim children who criticized her for "insufficiently Muslim clothing." One of those arrested in connection with the incident is a 14-year-old girl named Mariam, who reportedly instigated the attack on Samara due to her allegedly inappropriate attire, according to French reports.
Samara's mother, Hasiba, was quoted saying: "Samara uses a bit of makeup, and the girl who assaulted her is veiled. She attacked her while accusing her of being a non-believer in Islam." She added: "My daughter dresses in a European style, which has led to numerous insults, attacks and derogatory labels against her. Despite being Muslims ourselves, I fail to comprehend their interpretation of Islam."
Three of the assailants, two boys and a girl who attend the same school as Samara, were apprehended and admitted their involvement during the investigation. They are now facing charges of attempted murder. The police investigation is also considering the possibility that Samara might have dared to interact with boys or that an argument erupted among groups of children on social networks, escalating to extreme violence. Hasiba revealed that, for two years, other children have been assaulting her daughter for behaving and dressing in a "less Islamic" manner. She reported that they circulated her pictures on social networks and issued inciting calls to rape the teen.
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Urging cautious examination, French President Emmanuel Macron
(Photo: EPA/ GONZALO FUENTES / POOL)
On Thursday, a vicious and premeditated assault took place against a 15-year-old boy named Shamseddin in the Parisian suburb of Viry-Châtillon. A gang of five aggressive teenagers attacked him so savagely that he died of his injuries after being rushed to a Paris hospital. French media suggest he might have been targeted because he was in contact with a girl, whose brother was displeased with their relationship and allegedly sent his friends to brutally attack him. It is also suggested that the surge in violence could be linked to disputes, as well as inappropriate photos and videos shared on social media platforms which escalated into physical altercations.
In recent times, reports of threats from students of Arab descent have been on the rise across France, contributing to an increasingly hostile environment in schools throughout the country. French President Emmanuel Macron, expressing his solidarity with the attacked girl over the weekend, urged caution in drawing conclusions about the circumstances surrounding the attack. He stressed the need for a careful examination of the facts before reaching conclusions. Notably, he avoided referring to "radical Islam" in relation to the recent episodes of violence.