Erdogan Blames French Unrest on Institutional Racism and Colonial Past

The French government has been fighting a wave of violence and looting since the death of 17-year-old Nahel M – a French citizen of Algerian background – at the hands of a police officer last week.

In response to the unrest, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has spoken out against what he sees as “institutional racism” in France, linking it to the country’s colonial past. Erdogan has long been a champion of the world’s Muslims, particularly since the rise of his Islamic-rooted party in Turkey two decades ago.

At an address to television cameras following a weekly cabinet meeting, he asserted that “cultural racism” in France has “turned into institutional racism” and that “most of the immigrants who are condemned to live in ghettos, who are systematically oppressed, are Muslims.”

Erdogan also condemned the looting that has accompanied the protests. Cars have been set alight, infrastructure damaged and police officers attacked, resulting in some 20 million euros ($21.8m) of damage to public transport in the Paris region.

He called for those in positions of power to learn from the social explosion, but also reminded viewers that “the streets cannot be used to seek justice”. It is clear that the issue of racism and colonialism in France has been a long-standing one, and one that is now reaching a boiling point.

The voices of the oppressed must be heard and their grievances addressed if France is to find a way out of this cycle of violence. Erdogan’s words are a reminder that we must confront this injustice and work together to create a more equal society.