The Côte d’Azur, due to its location, is supposed to be a haven of peace where tourists of all cultures and colors can spend a peaceful stay.
Unfortunately, it is not the case. A video broadcast by the Loopsider page shows that racism is far from dead in France and that this scourge is still directed against several tourists, especially North Africans.
North African victims of discrimination on the Côte d’Azur
The video is that of an investigation carried out by activists from SOS Racisme. The images clearly show agents from two private beaches on the Côte d’Azur refusing to give deckchairs to a North African couple and a black couple, before granting access to a white couple.
The racism is obvious, particularly in the face of the North African couple who were simply rejected from the two private beaches where they asked for two deckchairs. The agent tells him that “it’s not possible” because “we are full”.
Two minutes later, a white couple arrives, the reception is different, they are looking for a place. After a moment of verification, the receptionist gives the green light. “We are going to put them here, ladies and gentlemen,” she says, even though the same request was refused to the North African couple only two minutes ago.
The observation is the same on another private beach. For the North African couple, we say that “it’s full”, but as soon as the French couple shows up, the deckchairs are released as if by magic.
A complaint will be filed
The filmed couples are all SOS racism activists who claim on the video that legal proceedings will be launched to denounce this racism on the private beaches of the Côte d’Azur.
“It’s still important to organize testing today because we have the impression that we can’t do anything about racism,” says Aurore Barbier, project manager at SOS Racisme.
She adds that racism is not inevitable because “we have the legal tools to condemn establishments and companies that discriminate”. SOS Racisme wants to “show that discrimination is not just all year round, but even during the holidays”.
The head of SOS racism underlines: “In France, in 2022, when you are black or Arab, you cannot calmly go to the beach without constantly having the sword of Damocles of racism above your head”.
