‘Bismillah, it’s the darkness’: From police racial infiltration to a protest slogan

An unusual-looking Snapchat message has become an unofficial slogan of France’s student protests. “Bismillah, it’s the darkness” went viral after students suspected an account using Arabic expressions and exaggerated slang of being an undercover police officer attempting to infiltrate private protest groups. While the allegations remain unverified, the phrase has spread across social media and demonstrations, becoming a way for student protesters to mock suspected police surveillance and racial stereotypes amid nationwide demonstrations over deteriorating school conditions. Subscribe: Livestream: Facebook: X (Twitter): Instagram: TikTok: What (Source: Foreign Policy | Region: Paris, France)