Investigation into racist chants in nightclub in Rodez

Rodez – 24.06.2026: On the night of June 4 to 5, 2026, an incident took place in the Loft89 nightclub in Rodez that is now shocking the French public opinion. In a video recorded in the smoking area of the club, six to seven young men can be seen chanting racist slogans with raised glasses. The central chant was: “Marine in power, Arabs to the slaughterhouse!”

The video was published on June 21, 2026, on platforms such as Instagram and TikTok and caused great outrage. The anonymous creator of the video reported that the youths repeated the slogans several times. While some guests in the nightclub remained passive, others loudly joined in the chants. The woman decided to film after she had confronted those involved about their behavior.

The management of Loft89 responded quickly and published a statement condemning the behavior. Additionally, the club assured full cooperation with the investigative authorities. “We strongly condemn these acts and are working closely with the competent authorities,” the statement said.

Political representatives from the region also expressed their shock over the events. Laurent Alexandre, deputy of the second electoral district of Aveyron, turned to the Public Prosecutor’s Office on June 21, 2026, demanding a rapid clarification. Mayor Stéphane Mazars emphasized that “racism is not an opinion” and called for swift legal action.

The organization Tajmaât, which advocates for the rights of the Maghreb community, sharply condemned the incident and began looking for witnesses. They labeled the scene as a new trivialization of dangerous discourses that deliberately attack people of Maghreb origin and spoke of an open call to murder.

The Public Prosecutor’s Office of Rodez launched an investigation for incitement to hatred, conducted by the local police. The perpetrators have not yet been identified, but there are indications that they are local students. The investigation is ongoing.

This incident is part of a series of similar cases in France in which racist statements caused public outrage and investigations. In March 2026, an investigation was already initiated against a candidate from the National Rally in Gap who made racist and national socialist glorifying statements in an online video.

The repeated cases highlight the ongoing challenges in France in dealing with racism and discrimination and underscore the urgency of decisive countermeasures.