The prosecutor's office of Metz opened an investigation Friday on the exchange of racist remarks between students of the University of Lorraine, revealed last week, and the disciplinary section of the faculty was seized. "The investigation will determine whether it is racially non-public insults", punishable by a ticket, "or public, which is a crime," said the prosecutor in Metz, Christian Mercuri. The city police station had launched "an own-initiative inquiry" on these facts several days ago.
Students had revealed at the end of April on social networks that racist words and videos targeting black students were exchanged by sociology bachelor students in Metz, on a private group of Messenger, the Facebook messaging service.
"No globally racist system"
The University of Lorraine, which had reported the facts to the prosecutor, had set up Monday a commission of inquiry to hear "authors, victims or witnesses". "A report based on the testimonies and documents collected" was submitted and "the competent disciplinary section of the university" was seized by the president of the faculty "concerning the two students authors of the messages", is it indicated in a statement. "In December 2018, twice and at an interval of one week, racist remarks were made," he explained. "There is nothing to date to suggest that there was a globally racist or segregationist system within the promotion," according to the University press release.
On Wednesday, several hundred people took part in a march against racism in the streets of Metz. Students who were victims of racist remarks were at the head of the procession, holding a placard on which was written: "Racism is not a game, it is a crime".