The Paris prosecutor's office has opened an investigation into French news channel CNews for possible hate speech after alleged racist comments about Bally Bagayoko, the newly elected Black mayor of Saint-Denis. A separate investigation has been launched into possible cyberbullying targeting Mayor Bagayoko due to his skin color. Bally Bagayoko is the first Black mayor of Saint-Denis, a diverse and impoverished suburb north of Paris.
CNews has denied that any racist comments were made and called the controversy 'baseless'. CNews is controlled by French tycoon Vincent Bolloré's Vivendi group and has been likened to Fox News for its opinion-driven format and polarizing tone. Media watchdogs and opponents accuse CNews and other Bolloré group outlets of near-constant coverage of immigration and security, fueling far-right narratives.
Bally Bagayoko was elected mayor of Saint-Denis in the first round of voting, without requiring a runoff, leading a left-wing list uniting La France Insoumise (LFI) and the Communist party. He has been a politician since 2001, serving as deputy mayor, vice-president of the departmental council, and as a senior executive at RATP. Saint-Denis is home to 130 nationalities and is in the poorest department in metropolitan France.
The controversy is 'baseless'.
In Seine-Saint-Denis, 13 out of 39 mayors elected are people of color. During his campaign, Bagayoko faced false claims and confrontations. A false claim spread on social media and mainstream media that Bally Bagayoko said he would make Saint-Denis a 'city of Black people', when he actually said 'la ville des rois'.
Additionally, a white journalist confronted Bally Bagayoko with the suggestion that his campaign received backing from drug dealers. Under French law, racial slurs are punishable by up to one year in jail and a fine of up to 45,000 euros, while cyberbullying is punishable by up to two years in jail and a fine of up to 30,000 euros. The investigations come amid a broader context of racism in France.
A new survey shows that almost every other French person has experienced racism, which particularly affects people of African background. Mayor Bally Bagayoko has himself been subjected to racism, most recently on national TV where he was portrayed with racist terms. Both the French president and prime minister have stated that all forms of racism are unacceptable.
The specific comments alleged to be racist slurs on CNews have not been publicly detailed, and the evidence presented in the investigations into hate speech and cyberbullying remains unclear. The status and timeline of the investigations by the Paris prosecutor's office are also unknown, as are any actions taken by French leadership beyond their statements. The panelists on CNews accused of making the racist comments and their responses have not been identified.