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At the time of this episode’s release, the outcome of the French presidential election has yet to be announced. It is likely the incumbent, Emmanuel Macron, will come back to office, once again defeating his hard-right rival Marine Le Pen. Many Muslims may breathe a sigh of relief, Le Pen stands out as a viscerally anti-Muslim candidate in a country where it’s hard to find any moderate voices. But in many ways, Macron’s return to power is meaningless for the Muslim community in France. For all the calls for greater political participation, the choice for many is between one form of Islamophobia over another. 

Muslims in France find themselves wedged between a rock and a hard place. Today, my guest, Rayan Freschi, a legal expert and researcher for CageUK has recently authored a disturbing report on the French government’s policy of “systematic obstruction” of the Muslim community. He uncovers how the French state under Macron has targeted peaceful Muslims, shut down Mosques, closed charities, hounded Islamic schools and made it impossible for civil society to operate independently from the state. His report, makes a chilling read. Rayan tells me that the French state is shutting down Islam in France. We talk about how this systematic obstruction has manifested and the consequence for Europe’s largest Muslim community. 

Download the report here https://www.cage.ngo/we-are-beginning-to-spread-terror-report