French high school principals rally in Paris over death threats targeting colleague

By Nur Asena Erturk

French high school principals rallied Friday in Paris following death threats targeting one of their colleagues, according to the Franceinfo broadcaster.

A group of principals and MPs gathered in front of the Maurice Ravel High School, whose principal resigned last week for security reasons and death threats via the internet, after he asked a student to take her headscarf off in February, due to the ban on religious signs at school, it said.

The student told reporters earlier the month that she was subjected to violence and the principal hit her arm when she refused to remove her scarf.

The Paris prosecutor’s office dismissed her complaint for “insufficiently grounded offense.”

The principal filed a complaint against the threats and a 26-year-old suspect was arrested.

Prime Minister Gabriel Attal backed the principal Wednesday in an interview and criticized the student for defamatory allegations.

Then-Education Minister Attal announced the ban on the abaya -- a loose full-length robe worn by Muslim women -- as of Sept. 4, 2023, the start of the new school term.

The controversial move sparked a backlash against the government, which has been criticized in recent years for targeting Muslims with statements and policies, including raids on mosques and charitable foundations, and an "anti-separatism" law that imposes broad restrictions on the community.