Brussels Protest Honors Mosque Victim, Condemns Rising Islamophobia
The gathering also served as a protest against recent far-right violence targeting residents in the Belgian capital, according to The Brussels Times.
Cissé, 22, was fatally stabbed 57 times on April 25 inside the prayer room of the Khadidja Mosque in La Grand-Combe, Gard. According to authorities, the assailant filmed the attack while making anti-Muslim remarks. The suspect has been formally charged with “premeditated murder due to race or religion” and remains in custody.
The Brussels Panther Collective, which organized the event, described the killing as a clear case of Islamophobia.
In a statement during the rally, the group said: “The murder of Aboubakar is yet another proof that Islamophobia kills.”
They linked the crime to an ongoing “campaign of Islamophobic propaganda,” which is reinforced by policies and media narratives that promote hostility toward Muslim communities.
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Speakers at the protest also referred to the May 4 violence in Brussels, where far-right hooligans from Bruges allegedly assaulted residents. Organizers called the incident a “racist attack,” and argued that it reflects a broader issue, not just isolated behavior. They claimed that the violence was the result of repeated negative portrayals of working-class neighborhoods in Brussels.
The residents' group Front de Mères Belgium also addressed the crowd, warning that: “The racist attacks of 4 May are a pressing reminder of the need to stand against Islamophobia, all forms of racism, and the far-right.”
Following the demonstration, attendees joined a separate rally calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, which began later that afternoon at Brussels North Station.
Similar memorials and protests were held in several French cities on the same day.
Source: Agencies
