Retailleau Reluctantly Visits the Grand Mosque of Paris Under Pressure
French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau finally visited the Grand Mosque of Paris as a guest, following weeks of controversy surrounding his refusal to attend an iftar dinner last Ramadan, as he also serves as Minister of Religions.
The dean of the Paris Mosque posted a video of the Interior Minister touring the mosque's courtyard and corridors. In it, he received explanations from Chams-eddine Hafiz about some of the expressive paintings hanging on the mosque's walls. His expression showed his embarrassment due to his remarks about a month ago while justifying his failure to attend the iftar meal, which had been extended to him by the mosque's deanship.
That day, Retailleau was asked why he had not accompanied his government colleague, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot, to the iftar. His only response was that the event was unofficial, which prompted him to decline the invitation, unlike his government colleague. However, this justification did not go unchallenged by political and media circles in France.
Later, it emerged that the justifications offered by the Interior Minister, known for his far-right and anti-Islam positions, were false. A video circulated showing him standing next to a cleric in a church. He also visited a synagogue. Another video showed him saying, 'If there's a mosque I should visit, it's the Saint Sophia Mosque in Istanbul,' referring to the Hagia Sophia Mosque, which was originally a Byzantine Orthodox church before the city was conquered by Mehmed II the Conqueror in 1453 AD. He said this jokingly, but observers understood it instantly before landing, as the Algerian proverb goes.
The French Interior Minister's visit to the Paris Mosque came under intense pressure from the Muslim community in France, along with non-right-wing political parties, due to his mishandling of the horrific crime that claimed the life of a young Muslim, Aboubakar Cissé, in a mosque at the hands of a right-wing extremist. He did not travel to the crime scene until two days later, which, as Minister of Religions, caused outrage among members of the Muslim community.
Retailleau's behaviour regarding the crime was scandalous, drawing harsh criticism even from far-right media outlets, most notably CNews, where one of its journalists attacked him in an interview, asking him: 'Would you have acted this way if the crime had taken place in a church or a synagogue?'
In the same context, Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau was scheduled to meet with a delegation including members of the family of the young Muslim killed in the mosque. However, the meeting did not take place due to anger among the victim's family, along with the Muslim community, over the French minister's handling of the crime. The family's lawyer advised them not to meet with Retailleau, which they did. The meeting with the minister, which was scheduled for Monday, May 5, 2025, was rejected, according to the French channel BFMTV. This prompted the Interior Minister to limit himself to meeting with some members of the Malian community in France.
Aminata Konate-Boune, a spokeswoman for Aboubakar Cissé's family, told AFP, commenting on the meeting: 'He (Retailleau) seems to be in contact with some representatives of the Malian community, but not with the family.' Meanwhile, members of the Muslim community have grown increasingly angry at Bruno Retailleau's stance on the crime.
The dean of the Grand Mosque of Paris, Chems-eddine Hafiz, said in the eulogy: 'We, the Muslims of France, expect more than mere statements. This crime is not a passing event, but rather an act of hatred and extreme violence, interspersed with anti-Islamic insults… It is an anti-Islamic attack and a terrorist crime.'
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