Debate and protests erupted across the Muslim world against the French President Emmanuel Macron’s Islamophobia and his continuous critique on Islam.
The backlash over Macron’s critique intensified after Turkish President Erdogan questioned Macron’s mental health. Meanwhile, Muslims across the world are demanding a boycott of French products.
Read more: France recalls ambassador from Turkey after Erdoğan criticizes Macron
Boycott French products campaign
#BoycottFrenchProducts has become a trend on social media. Social media users are sharing photos of french products and demanding from the removal of these products from superstores.
The least of things is to boycott those who laugh at your Prophet, close mosques, imprison your brothers & sisters & target the Muslim minority
To share in all Muslim countries !!!
#قاطعوا_المنتجات_الفرنسية
#BoycottFrenchProducts
#BoycottezLesProduitsFrancais pic.twitter.com/JtnEJMPxlB— Ahmed aldhaifi (@ahmed_aldhaifi) October 23, 2020
In response, many Arab traders removed French products from displays in supermarkets. In addition, Arab trade organizations have announced a boycott of French products in response to Macron’s Islamophobia and derogatory remarks against Islam.
Images from various middle east countries including Kuwait, Jordan and Qatar showed empty shelves where french products once stood.
In a statement, Qatar’s largest retailer the Al Meera Supermarket chain officially stated: As a company, we work according to a vision consistent with our religion, our established customs and traditions, and in a way that serves our country and our faith and meets the aspirations of our customers.”
Reaction from Muslim leaders
Most recently, Turkish President Erdogan also called for a boycott of French products. In a television speech, Erdogan said, “As it has been said in France, ‘don’t buy Turkish-labelled goods’, I call on my people here. Never give credit to French-labelled goods, don’t buy them.”
The foreign minister of Iran Javad Zarif tweeted: “Muslims are the primary victims of the ‘cult of hatred’ – empowered by colonial regimes & exported by their own clients. Insulting 1.9B Muslims- & their sanctities – for the abhorrent crimes of such extremists is an opportunistic abuse of freedom of speech. It only fuels extremism.”
Similarly, foreign affairs minister of Morocco, Pakistan and Jordan also condemned the statement of french President and intimated that it would cause violence.
Meanwhile, France’s left-wing member of parliament, Jean-Luc Melenchon, also criticized Macron. In a statement, he said: “Macron has totally lost control of the situation. By Erdogan’s statements, France is demeaned, humiliated and ridiculed. What is Macron’s strategy? What does he plan to do besides tweet?”
Macron a totalement perdu le contrôle de la situation. Par les déclarations d'Erdogan, la France est abaissée, humiliée et ridiculisée. Quelle est la stratégie de Macron ? Que compte-t-il faire à part des Tweets ? #FranceInter
— Jean-Luc Mélenchon (@JLMelenchon) October 26, 2020