Annecy stabbing provokes surge of anti-immigrant rhetoric online

People call for purging their countries of Muslims, even after suspect was reportedly revealed to be Christian

French police secure the area after several children and an adult were injured in a knife attack in Annecy, France. Reuters

Counter-extremism experts have called for calm after a surge in anti-Syria and anti-refugee sentiment after a Syrian asylum seeker was arrested on suspicion of stabbing several people in the small town of Annecy, south-western France.

A man armed with a knife attacked several children and at least one adult at 9.45am local time as the youngsters were playing in a park near the lake in the town. Police shot him in the legs shortly before he was arrested.

Speaking to The National, senior research analyst at the Counter Extremism Project Sofia Koller said it was important for the public to stay well-informed during and after an attack to ensure they have all the facts before making judgments.

I think this attack really comes at the worst timing because the debate is quite present at the moment

Sofia Koller,
Counter Extremism Project

“It's very early to speak about it being a terror attack because the motivation is not clear yet," she said.

“Some media and parts of the public are quick to judge when they see it was a foreign-looking man with a knife, and assume it was a terror attack.”

There are continuing debates and discussions in France and Europe on asylum seekers and immigration, said Ms Koller, speaking from Germany.

“I think this attack really comes at the worst timing because the debate is quite present at the moment. So this attack might have an even higher impact on French society."

Syrian-British Middle East researcher Ghassan Ibrahim said Syrians must take a position of unity against such attacks.

"It's essential for the Arab and Syrian diaspora in particular, to have a clear position against any attacks that violate French law - be it killings, terrorism, or extremism. Foreigners have a responsibility to also showcase their understanding towards host countries and to provide a positive role model and example of foreign communities in these countries," Mr Ibrahim said.

People continued to make racist and xenophobic remarks online as more details emerged about the attack.

“This is why a lot of people are scared to walk the streets at night in the UK,” one person under the username Libra586 wrote on Twitter.

“These people need to be purged from our continents,” wrote another under the name Berhtwald Of Kinster.

Xenophobic remarks were also made against Muslims on social media platforms.

“All Muslims out of Europe now!” one man wrote while another called for “housing and processing refugees offshore” when a “Muslim” carries out 'knife attacks like the one in France'.

The suspect reportedly told police he was a Christian, France's BFM TV reported, and was carrying a Bible and a cross when he was arrested.

Orwa Ajjoub, Syria analyst at the Cyprus-based Centre for Operational Analysis and Research, simply warned against the politicisation of refugee issues.

"These type of attacks instigate hate in Europe among political parties. Some right wing parties often take advantage of these incidents to demonise refugees and Muslim communities as a whole," he said, expecting some politicians to increase anti-immigration rhetoric.

A screen grab taken from a video shows a man armed with a knife running away after a group of pre-school children was attacked in Annecy. AFPTV

It was a similar scenario in November last year following a terror attack in Istanbul where six people were killed in an explosion at a crowded tourist spot.

In the first few moments after the attack, the Turkish word for Syrian, “Suriyeli” was trending on Twitter even after the government blamed Kurdish militants.

“It increased the level of anxiety about Turkey's porous borders and the ease with which immigrants can cross into the country,” senior researcher at TRENDS Research and Advisory, Serhat Cubukcuoglu, told The National.