A progressive politician advocating for migrant rights faced a brutal assault by a group of migrants outside her own house in France.
Oriane Filhol, the deputy mayor serving under Mathieu Hanotin of the Socialist Party (PS) in Saint-Denis, ended up in the hospital after being subjected to a violent attack involving punches to her face and body. The incident occurred at approximately 9:30 pm on the driveway leading to her home.
Despite the assault, the left-wing politician managed to escape and sought refuge at a friend’s house a few streets away. However, the attackers pursued her, delivering additional blows before making their getaway in a vehicle, as reported by Remix News.
According to a police source cited by Le Figaro, the assailants concealed their faces behind surgical masks and hoods, presenting a ‘North African’ appearance.
J’apporte mon soutien à Oriane Filhol, adjointe au maire de Saint-Denis, agressée physiquement par deux individus.
— Eric Coquerel (@ericcoquerel) December 22, 2023
Nous évoluons dans un climat où injures verbales, menaces, et violences envers les élus se multiplient. Les élus LFI, comme ce matin @CaronAymericoff , ne sont pas… pic.twitter.com/TAOADFWJZC
As of now, no arrests have been made, and the individuals responsible for the attack remain at large.
A press release from Saint-Denis town hall indicated that the motives behind the assault appear to be closely tied to Filhol’s dedication as an elected official. Despite the incident, Filhol continues to actively advocate for the rights of migrants in France.
In her latest social media post, she passionately criticized the French government for curtailing the entitlement of migrants to social welfare benefits. She expressed frustration, stating, “While, from our local authorities, we do everything in our power to support families and promote their already difficult access to rights, now the Government and its allies are rolling back these rights with the immigration bill. The shame, the disgust,” reflecting her commitment to the cause.
This incident follows a disturbing trend, as we previously highlighted a group of men armed with knives who disrupted a winter dance ball in a small French village, declaring, “we are here to stab white people.” The attackers wounded 17 people and tragically claimed the life of a 16-year-old boy.
Despite the severity of the incident, it received extremely limited news coverage.