French social media platforms circulated pictures of posters in the southeastern city of Grenoble, aimed at combating racism in all its forms, including racism against veiled women and minorities, and condemning the reduction of the chances of those targeted to get a job because of dress, color or race.
Posters posted at the city's transport stations, run by environmental mayor Eric Bioll, showed a picture of a veiled woman who read: "I have twice as many chances of getting a job interview. Grenoble is committed against racism."
🇫🇷 Une nouvelle campagne de @VilledeGrenoble (Sud Est) pour lutter contre le racisme.
Merci @VilledeGrenoble d’inclure les femmes musulmanes dans vos campagnes et de participer à la fin de leur invisibilisation.#CCIE #Islamophobie #Racisme #Grenoble #InstitutMontaigne pic.twitter.com/d4Mwdr8TZ1
— CCIE (@CCIEurope) March 21, 2023
The posters are part of the city's plans to celebrate the International Day against Racism, which falls on March 21 each year, and includes a large number of groups in society who are now highly discriminated against, according to local authorities in the city.
The campaign included a number of groups, such as black people who have a 31% lower chance of buying a property and those coming from China, Vietnam and others, who are more likely to be exposed to racism during the workplace "5 times in a row."
Pour la journée internationale de la lutte contre le racisme et les #discriminations, la ville de Grenoble s’engage 💪
Vous aussi, luttez contre les discriminations et suivez nos actions ➡ https://t.co/doPJg9uh4M pic.twitter.com/dGfSz2wzdQ
— Ville de Grenoble (@VilledeGrenoble) March 21, 2023
France's Coordination for Combating Islamophobia celebrated the initiative of Grenoble Mayor Eric Biol and thanked him for including veiled Muslim women in his campaign and ending attempts to isolate them.
The leader of the far-right Restitution of France movement, Damien Rieu, attacked the city's mayor, saying he was promoting clothes in the manner of Islamic law.
Eric Biole, who heads the local authority in Grenoble and belongs to the Green Environmental Party, has already angered France's far-right after announcing his intention to submit a proposal to allow burkinis in all the city's swimming pools.
France is one of the largest European countries in terms of the size of the Muslim community of about 6 million as of mid-2016, constituting 8.8% of the country's total population.