Politics · France · 2 hrs ago
A phrase attributed to undercover police becomes a French student protest slogan
A phrase, “Bismillah c'est les ténèbres,” has become a slogan at student protests and school blockades in France.
It appeared in a Snapchat screenshot that has circulated online, showing a user seeking information about a blockade.
Students say unknown people have messaged them asking for their identities and the locations of blockades, and suspect they may be undercover police officers.
That suspicion has not been confirmed.
The account in the screenshot uses a name and symbols associated with North African identity, and mixes Arabic and French, which has led people to parody what they see as a clumsy, racist attempt to pose as a student.
Videos mocking the messages have spread on social media, helping turn the phrase into a protest reference.
The episode reflects tension between young people and law enforcement during the student movement.
The source does not say what will happen next.
The phrase “Bismillah c'est les ténèbres” has become a slogan on signs at French high-school blockades and demonstrations.
The phrase appeared in a Snapchat message attributed to an account seeking information about a blockade.
High-school students say they have received messages from strangers asking for their identities and blockade locations, and suspect the senders are undercover police.
The suspected police infiltration has not been confirmed.
The phrase has spread on social media, alongside parodies of the alleged attempts to pose as students.
- Who
- High-school students are using the phrase as a protest slogan. The Snapchat messages are attributed to people suspected by students of being undercover police.
- What
- The phrase “Bismillah c'est les ténèbres” has become a slogan at student protests.
- When
- The slogan has spread during the high-school movement; the article was published on 12 October 2026.
- Where
- At French high-school blockades and demonstrations, and on social media.
- Why
- The phrase circulated in a Snapchat message seeking information about a blockade and was taken up on social media.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
In the name of God, it's darkness
High-school students say strangers have contacted them on Snapchat asking for their identities and blockade locations.
A screenshot of a message using the phrase “Bismillah c'est les ténèbres” circulates and the phrase becomes a protest slogan.
MEP Matthieu Valet accuses L'Humanité of spreading fake news, then deletes his tweet.
- Slogan
- Bismillah c'est les ténèbres
- Platform where the message appeared
- Snapchat
- Information sought in messages
- Students’ identities and blockade locations
- Publication date
- 12 October 2026
Sources
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