Saint-Denis Mayor Advocates for Censorship of Far-Right Politicians

Bally Bagayoko, the mayor of the diverse Paris suburb of Saint-Denis, has suggested that politicians from the so-called “far-right,” particularly members of Marine Le Pen’s National Rally, should be prohibited from public speaking due to what he perceives as their racist rhetoric.

This call for censorship follows a shooting incident in Trappes last week, which occurred before a thorough investigation could be completed. The mayor, who is Muslim, quickly labeled the shooting as stemming from Islamophobia and racism. This incident provided the left an opportunity to amplify their message against political adversaries.

During an appearance on LCI, Mayor Bagayoko stated that Le Pen’s party should face consequences for the violence in Trappes, which resulted in one death and five injuries.

He commented, “I believe those who make racist comments consistently should not be given a platform,” as reported by La Journal du Dimanche. According to him, National Rally members should face censorship “the moment they make racist remarks.”

When questioned about whether his own party, the far-left La France Insoumise (LFI), would enforce such censorship if they gained power, he more or less indicated that there would be a staged approach to combating the National Rally, with the first act focusing on electoral challenges and the second involving serious penalties for those spreading hatred, including in media platforms.

The mayor also expressed support for a statement from the National Union of Journalists, which argued that “verbal violence” and racism are on the rise within French media, posing dangers to both journalists and citizens alike.

“By enabling the far-right, we incur significant responsibility. It is time for democratic discussions to occur with respect—for individuals and without trivializing a dangerous ideology associated with an anti-republican party, and especially without relegating racism to just another opinion,” the union’s statement urged.

These calls for curbing discussions around anti-mass migration parties like the National Rally came about as media reports suggested that the shooter in Trappes was motivated by racism and hostility towards Muslims—claims supported by some left-wing politicians.

However, Olivier Christen from the National Anti-Terrorist Prosecutor’s Office clarified on Tuesday that, while the suspect does not dispute the actions, he denies their racist motivation.

Christen also pointed out that “no political party materials” were located in the suspect’s vehicle, which directly contradicts a previous report by the left-liberal newspaper Le Monde, asserting that such materials were discovered. “No leaflets from a political party were found in his vehicle,” he confirmed.

In stark contrast to this alleged fictional connection, the Paris police prefect, Patrice Faure, has taken legal steps against Mayor Bagayoko, accusing him of inciting recent youth riots throughout the country.

The Muslim mayor, who has Malian heritage, has emerged as a vocal advocate of the protests and faces accusations of legitimizing the violence by labeling it as “a potentially understandable or legitimate reaction to law enforcement actions.” He has denied that he is promoting violent actions.