French Prefect Faces Backlash After Saying Moroccans, Algerians ‘Not Welcome’

Rabat – The Herault prefecture in France’s Montpellier sparked outrage for posting a tweet suggesting that Moroccan and Algerian homeless people are “unwanted” and “unwelcomed.”

Deleted a few hours after the prefect posted it on Twitter on Thursday, the tweet showed the region’s prefect how to “end the delinquency of foreign homeless people in Montpelier.”

The tweet said that police have arrested 104 people since August, the majority of women are from Algeria and Morocco.

“We will be unstoppable,” the prefecture’s tweet reads, promising that security services are instructed to “not let them go.” Adding that “they are not welcome.”

The tweet sparked outrage among many people, including activists, citizens, and public figures.

“These are neither words nor actions that are expected of a prefect,” member of the National Assembly of France Nathalie Oziol said in a tweet on Thursday.

The French deputy recalled an earlier controversial statement from the prefect of the Herault prefecture Hugues Moutouh, who vowed to clean Monteplier’s street and “harass offenders.”

In the interview, he admitted that 48% of those arrested are of foreign nationality, including Moroccans and Algerians.

Oziol said that the prefecture deleted the tweet, but he is the one who wants to send “golgoths” to “wage war on delinquents and foreigners.”

“Golgoths” is a word used by locals to refer to “very muscular” individuals.

Despite being deleted, the tweet sparked wider controversy and outrage among activists.
Lawyer for the League of Human Rights in Montpellier Sophie Mazaz denounced the absence of neutrality from the prefect, emphasizing that it is “shocking” that the prefect manages to “dehumanize refugees and homeless people.”

Meanwhile, the tweet was received as words of “truth” to some public figures who were making their stances against immigration clear.

Eric Zemmour, a controversial far-right politician, applauded the prefecture’s tweet

“Bravo to the prefect who told the truth before deleting his publication,” he wrote on Twitter.
The controversy comes amid an already fragile situation, with France’s opposition to update its controversial visa policy for North African people.

Last year, the French government decided to cut the number of visas granted to Moroccans and Algerians by 50%.

Morocco has responded to France’s decision, describing it as unjustified.

Foreign Affairs Minister Nasser Bourita said on September 28, 2021 that “Morocco has always dealt with the issue of migration and the movement of individuals with great responsibility and balance.”

The situation of visa restrictions remains unsolved. On September 25, the Moroccan League for Defense of Human Rights addressed a letter to the UN Human Rights Committee calling for intervention regarding France visa restrictions against Moroccan travelers.