From now on, they live isolated from the public. According to information from the Protection Service (SDLP), which is affiliated to the National Police, as reported by the newspaper Le Point on Wednesday February 2, one third of the police protection measures are related to an Islamist threat. These people who have been forced to be protected have made critical, negative or ironic remarks about Islam, Islamism or Muslims and now, unfortunately, have to suffer for it.
Le Point reports that 35 “French or foreign” men and women living in France are under personal protection organised by the SDLP. Among them are many journalists. This is the case, for example, of the former director of Charlie Hebdo, Philippe Val. He has been protected since 2006 and is classified as Uclat 2 (which means high risk), as Le Point reports. There is said to be a screened room in his house equipped with a telephone line and a walkie-talkie for alerts. Journalist and writer Zineb El Rhazoui lives away from her relatives because of the threat from Islamists posted on the Internet.
As for Mila, the young woman lives ” in the manner of a bunker “. Her new social life came about after she criticised Islam on social networks in 2020. Mila now feels “dead while remaining in this world”, as she told Le Point in January 2021. For his part, the imam of Drancy, Hassen Chalghoumi (comma), is forced to leave the house wearing a bullet-proof waistcoat and live separated from his family. He was subjected to a veritable fatwa by the Islamic State for advocating peaceful Islam, Le Point reminds us. After the M6 channel broadcast Zone Interdite’s investigation into Islamism in several cities – notably Marseille, Trappes and Roubaix – the presenter Ophelie Meunier was also under police protection after becoming the target of threats. This also applies to the lawyer Amine Elbahi from Roubaix, who testified candidly in this documentary.