Why are French protesters chanting ‘Bismillah, c’est les ténèbres’?

Key points

• Hundreds of thousands of people protested across France over the weekend in the largest mobilisation since the movement began last month.
• The chant "Bismillah, c'est les ténèbres" is used by students to mock police racial stereotyping, based on a Snapchat message they say was sent by undercover officers.
• Sociologist Youssef El Chazli said the phrase highlights how out of touch authorities are with young people of Arab and African descent.

Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets across France over the weekend in the largest mobilisation since protests over education reforms and rising prices began last month. The movement brings together students demanding better educational conditions and groups rejecting the high cost of living.

One chant has become an unlikely rallying cry: "Bismillah, c'est les ténèbres". Taken literally, the phrase means "In the name of God, it's the darkness" and carries no clear message on its own. Students say it is meant to mock racial stereotyping by the police.

Origins of the slogan

"Bismillah" is Arabic for "in the name of God", though in French slang it has come to mean something closer to "let's do it". "C'est les ténèbres" translates as "it's the darkness", referring to a bleak and hopeless situation.

Students say the phrase echoes a Snapchat message that began circulating in early October. In it, a user named Mamadou asks to be added to a group and mentions a blockade, using a mix of Arabic and slang along with emojis bearing Algerian flags. Students say the message came from undercover police trying to infiltrate their chats. The claim has not been verified and French authorities have not commented.

This appears as one more example of how out-of-touch state agencies seem to be with the current movement.

— Youssef El Chazli

What the protests involve

The movement was triggered by grievances including overcrowded classrooms, teacher shortages, systemic inequality and a lack of opportunity. France's police inspectorate, the IGPN, has opened dozens of investigations into alleged police violence since the protests began.

The slogan has also spread to Italy and Belgium, where similar protests over the high cost of living and poor education took place over the weekend.

Reaction and debate

Youssef El Chazli, associate professor in Arab and Mediterranean sociology at Paris 8 University Vincennes – Saint-Denis, said the phrase "reinforces an image of out-of-touch policemen filled with stereotypes". He said such stereotypes appear to disproportionately target youths of Arab and African descent.

The French far right blamed Muslim youths for the violence using racist language, and United States President Donald Trump claimed the unrest was about "Islam wanting to take over". El Chazli said Arab and African influences have been steadily mainstreaming among younger generations through sports, arts, radio shows and social media.