French students mock alleged police attempt to infiltrate protests with viral slogan

• The slogan originated in a Snapchat message that students suspect was sent by an undercover police officer, an allegation that remains unverified.
• Protests over school funding and the cost of living have expanded into broader demonstrations against inequality.
• The phrase has become a form of political satire amid tensions over police conduct and racism.

A viral phrase mixing Arabic and French has become a rallying cry among student protesters in France, reflecting growing distrust of authorities and anger over perceived racial stereotyping.

“Bismillah, c’est les ténèbres”, roughly translated as “In the name of God, it’s the darkness”, has appeared on protest placards and spread across social media as demonstrations over education funding and living costs have widened.

The slogan emerged in early October after a screenshot of a Snapchat message circulated online. An account using the name Mamadou sought to join a group coordinating school blockades, using a combination of Arabic expressions, French slang and references to Algerian flags.

Students suspected the account belonged to an undercover police officer attempting to infiltrate their discussions. The allegation has not been verified, and French authorities have not publicly confirmed the account’s identity.

The phrase has since become a joke at the expense of what students view as authorities’ stereotypical understanding of young people from Arab and African backgrounds.

“Bismillah” is Arabic for “in the name of God”, while “c’est les ténèbres” literally means “it’s the darkness”. Together, the words form an awkward expression whose significance lies in the mockery rather than its literal meaning.

The slogan has spread amid demonstrations over overcrowded classrooms, teacher shortages and inadequate education funding, alongside wider grievances over inequality and the rising cost of living.

Police conduct has also drawn scrutiny as some demonstrations have escalated into clashes and property damage. The protests have fuelled wider debate over racism, Islamophobia and the treatment of young people from minority backgrounds.

Youssef El Chazli, an associate professor of Arab and Mediterranean sociology at Paris 8 University Vincennes–Saint-Denis, told Al Jazeera that the slogan reinforced the image of police as disconnected from young people, particularly those of Arab and African descent.

The phrase has reportedly spread to demonstrations elsewhere in Europe, illustrating how online humour and youth culture can become vehicles for political dissent.

For protesters, the slogan has become more than an internet joke: it is a way to ridicule perceived institutional ignorance while expressing frustration with authorities and the conditions facing younger generations.

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