30 Years On, Marseille Honors Ibrahim Ali, Victim of Racist Murder

Ibrahim Ali, a 17-year-old of Comorian descent, was killed in 1995 by far-right militants in Marseille, sparking decades of remembrance and calls for justice.

• Ibrahim Ali, a 17-year-old French citizen of Comorian descent, was fatally shot in the back by three far-right militants on February 21, 1995, while returning from a hip-hop rehearsal in Marseille.
• The perpetrators, affiliated with the Front National (now Rassemblement National), claimed self-defense but were later convicted, though the crime was not officially classified as racially motivated at the time.
• The murder highlighted the rising tide of racism in France during the 1990s and led to widespread protests, with over 10,000 people marching to demand justice.
• In 2021, after years of advocacy, an avenue in Marseille was named after Ibrahim Ali, marking a significant step in preserving his memory and acknowledging the tragedy.
• Thirty years later, the case remains a symbol of the ongoing fight against racism in France, as hate crimes and far-right ideologies continue to pose challenges to societal cohesion.

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