Student protests in France and Belgium

Student protesters in France and Belgium have adopted the viral slogan “Bismillah c’est les ténèbres” (roughly translating to “In the name of God, it is darkness”) as a rallying cry. The phrase originated from a widely circulated Snapchat message, reportedly sent by a user named “Mamadou,” which students perceived as a clumsy attempt by police infiltrators to mimic the slang of immigrant youth to gather information on protest coordination.

Protesters noted that the message—which included Algerian flag emojis and phrases such as “We are going to break everything”—felt like a poor impersonation of how French youth actually speak. While suspicion of police involvement remains unconfirmed and authorities have not commented on the infiltration claims, the slogan has spread through social media and physical protest signs, gaining attention from figures such as Greta Thunberg.

The movement, which began in Créteil, has expanded nationwide. Protesters are using the phrase to mock authorities and as an ironic response to racial prejudices, while also highlighting economic concerns such as the rising cost of living. Recent developments indicate the demonstrations are being driven by grievances over school hours and overcrowding, involving school blockades and reports of arrests and property damage in several French cities.