France Sees Sharp Rise in Islamophobic Incidents in 2025

IQNA – French authorities have reported a 75% increase in anti-Muslim acts during the first five months of 2025, with attacks against individuals more than tripling compared to the same period last year.

France has witnessed a sharp increase in Islamophobic incidents during the first half of 2025, according to data released by the Interior Ministry on Thursday. Officials recorded 145 anti-Muslim acts between January and May, up from 83 in the same period of 2024 — a 75% rise.

The most striking increase was seen in attacks targeting individuals, which surged by 209%, from 32 in 2024 to 99 in 2025. These incidents now represent more than two-thirds of all reported anti-Muslim acts, Hespress reported on Thursday.

The figures come in the wake of several high-profile violent events, including the fatal stabbing of Aboubacar Cisse, a young Malian man, inside a mosque in southern France in late April. The attacker, identified as Olivier A., allegedly recorded the act while making offensive remarks about Islam, sparking public outrage.

France, home to the largest Muslim population in Western Europe — approximately 9% of its total — has also seen an uptick in public demonstrations against racism and Islamophobia.

Community representatives and rights organizations have called on the government to take concrete steps to curb a rising pattern of anti-Muslim violence and hate speech.

Source: Agencies