France student protests adopt viral 'Bismillah' slogan

A nonsensical phrase, “Bismillah, c’est les ténèbres” (In the name of God, it is darkness), has become a viral rallying cry among student protesters in France. The slogan originated from a suspicious Snapchat message sent by a user named “Mamadou,” which students believe was an attempt by an undercover police officer to infiltrate their organizing groups.

Protesters noted that the message—which included Algerian flag emojis and phrases like “We are going to break everything”—felt like a poor impersonation of how French youth actually speak. By adopting the phrase on cardboard signs and social media, demonstrators are using it to mock suspected police surveillance and to satirize racial stereotyping and prejudices regarding immigrant communities.

The phenomenon has gained significant visibility, with climate activist Greta Thunberg reportedly using the slogan during a visit to striking students. While the identity of the original sender remains unverified and French authorities have not commented on the infiltration claims, the phrase has evolved into a widespread symbol of resistance against monitoring efforts.