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Marseille Turns Out in White March After Mehdi Kessaci Killing

Officials now call the shooting an intimidation attack that has sharpened demands for stronger, coordinated action against drug networks.

Overview

  • About 6,200 people marched in Marseille under heavy security to honor 20-year-old Mehdi Kessaci nine days after his killing.
  • Amine Kessaci attended under police protection and played a recorded message asserting his brother’s innocence and vowing not to be silenced.
  • Judicial authorities describe the murder as a warning crime, while Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez says a turning point has been crossed in narco-violence.
  • Toulouse held two separate solidarity gatherings at the family’s request, reflecting local political tensions as municipal campaigning nears.
  • The case has refocused debate on the drug economy’s scale and mafia-style methods, with a national anti–organized crime prosecutor’s office planned for January 2026.