Controversy Erupts Over CNews Comments on Black Mayor Bally Bagayoko

The recent election of Bally Bagayoko, a Black mayor for the outer-Paris towns of Saint Denis and Pierrefitte-sur-Seine, has ignited a controversy following remarks made on the right-wing channel CNews. During a discussion on March 16, comments by psychologist Jean Doridot and philosopher Michel Onfray evoked animalization and tribal tropes, leading to accusations of racism.

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Bally Bagayoko, born in France to Malian parents, represents the far-left La France Insoumise (LFI) party and won a significant urban victory in a municipality of 150,000 people. His election is viewed as a pivotal moment for the LFI, particularly as he aims to address local issues, including police reform and poverty, with nearly 30% of the population living below the poverty line.

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• Bally Bagayoko: Newly elected mayor of Saint Denis and Pierrefitte-sur-Seine, facing racist comments post-election.

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• Jean Doridot: Psychologist whose remarks during the CNews debate sparked outrage.

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• Michel Onfray: Philosopher who criticized Bagayoko's inauguration speech, suggesting a "tribal" approach.

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• Mathilde Panot: LFI parliamentary group leader who condemned the comments as "blatant and unashamed racism."

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In response to the comments, Bagayoko announced plans to file an official complaint against CNews, stating that the remarks were clearly racist. He expressed disappointment that the presidential palace had not condemned the comments, although both Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez and Culture Minister Catherine Pégard denounced them. The Movement Against Racism and for Friendship between Peoples (Mrap) also lodged a complaint against CNews, urging an investigation.

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CNews, however, denied any racist intent in the remarks, asserting that the comments had been "deliberately distorted" on social media. The channel emphasized its commitment to fighting racism and maintaining impartiality in public debate.

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Critics, including LFI leaders and anti-racism advocates, have labeled the comments as part of a broader pattern of racism in media. Dominique Sopo, president of SOS Racisme, questioned how long CNews would continue to insult marginalized communities. Doridot and Onfray have both denied that their comments were intended to be racist, with Doridot claiming his point was meant to be universal.

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In light of the controversy, Bagayoko announced an anti-racism demonstration scheduled for April 4 in front of the Saint-Denis town hall, aiming to address discrimination and hate.

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While many sources agree on the nature of the comments made during the CNews broadcast, there is a divergence in perspectives on whether the remarks were indeed racist. CNews maintains that no racist remarks were made, while Bagayoko and various political figures assert otherwise. This discrepancy highlights the ongoing debate surrounding race and representation in French media.

• “blatant and unashamed racism” — Mathilde Panot, LFI Parliamentary Group Leader

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• “In both of the offending segments the remarks amount to animalization and a denial of civilization. There’s no need to even mention Mr. Bagayoko’s skin color. Those on set and the audience are sufficiently aware of the racist nature of the tirades.” — Dominique Sopo, President of SOS Racisme

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• “I wanted to make my point universal. Perhaps it wasn't clear enough,” — Jean Doridot, Psychologist