Discrimination pours itself through the seams in Paris

By: Khumo Pulumo

#Pointofview: It is inconceivable to establish a role of injustice or discriminate against a black South African as a white individual and think you’ll get away with it. We were raised in the belly of the beast exposed to racists and discriminatory tactics galore. 

Growing up as a millennial our grandparents consistently described the exclusion and injustices of their era. Mainly where they were forced to carry a pass book (South African official document that all black people in South Africa had to carry with them during the period of apartheid) to gain access to designated “white areas” in Johannesburg.

It began with the segregation act, a system that enforced existing policies and racial segregation in 1948 by the Dutch settlers. They worked black slaves to the bone after discovering the minerals South Africa contains. Black people were escaping the police, most of them went into exile, hid in hostels, protests, unlawful arrests and being severely tortured. Life under apartheid was brutal, often demeaning to the human spirit. After decades of fighting for their freedom, in 1990 former National Party President F.W de Klerk stepped down after years of having the country’s majority black population under the thumb of the white minority.

It created a taste of disdain from us as people of color growing up, the exclusion of another human being based on the color of their skin is unacceptable. In musician’s Drake’s words, Nothing Was The Same.

Having travelled on a 15-hour flight to Paris from Johannesburg, the last thing I expected was a first world country with a highly intense vigor of racial lines not only blurred but transparent in the 21^st century. Black South Africans can smell a racist from a mile away, it is innate in our blood, we carry it like a trauma response. It is an unhealed post-traumatic stress disorder from our childhood as millennials and boomers. 

It is evident that racism is a complex issue in France that has been present for many decades. There have been numerous incidents and controversies surrounding racism in the country, from femicides, police brutality and hate crimes. 

One of the main issues regarding racism in France is the treatment of immigrant populations, particularly those from North and West Africa. In It is apparent that the minority are subjected to discrimination, both in terms of employment opportunities and societal attitudes. The level of segregation one can tell that it has resulted in a high level of unemployment and poverty among these populations.

There have been numerous cases of excessive force and violence being used against people of color, particularly those from immigrant backgrounds. This has resulted in protests and calls for greater accountability and transparency from law enforcement.

30 April, 13:00 – Le Marais; It is our second last day as a travel group in Paris, Professor Muholi, Themba Vilakazi, Mpume Zenda, and I were the four people left behind, this comes after the departure of Indlovukazi Mapule Ngobese and her wife Thandeka Ngobese who were heading back to the mother land. Flavien, Carole Kvasnevski’s assistant, requested our travel group an Uber to where the hotel was booked for our last evening of stay, because we were staying one more night and instinctively we didn’t want to leave Paris, because the treatment has been top tier and remains a beautiful place, and very safe. 

The driver arrived, he seemed Arabic, his calm aura allured us in at first. He let us pack five bags into the boot and some to carry on the trip. It was when Flavien asked him if we could have one person sit in the front that the look in his eyes changed drastically and he immediately threw a tantrum. He got out of the driver’s seat, opened the back of the boot and began removing our bags one by one. Flavien got into a dispute with him for five minutes and turned to us and relayed the message, informing everyone that he said in French “he does not want these natives in his car.” We spent 20 minutes arguing vigorously with the driver with some of our luggage still in his car. We stopped traffic on one of the busiest roads in the republic that day, to be frank the language barrier didn’t help a thing. However, we made sure that he grasped our anger and frustration in that small amount of time. We removed our luggage from the boot and requested another car. It was one of the most unpleasant experiences to date. 

There have been reports of Uber drivers in Paris refusing to pick up passengers based on their race or ethnicity. Hate crimes and xenophobia towards minority communities are also prevalent in France. Minority groups are often targeted by individuals and groups who hold racist and discriminatory views. This can range from verbal abuse to physical violence.

We presumed that this is the last incident, but God! was satan testing us today. 

Carole booked us into Hotel du Vieux Marais in the lively centre of Marais district, it is a vibrant and cosmopolitan area, which in hindsight proved to not reflect the eye-catching aspect of the city. 

16:00, Hotel du Vieux, the frantic owner: Upon arrival it was then I realised that the rising action of today’s film hasn’t reached its climax. Flavien walks in and inquires with the man at the reception about our online booking, the first red flag should have been the white male at the entrance but we paid no mind to it. We walked in with seven bags, Mpume and I sat on the couch. Minutes later a white old woman walks in screaming at the receptionist in French. Muholi, Themba and Simon Baker (Director of the MEP) are still standing outside, chatting. Mpume and I are startled by all of this, the white lady walks up to me with a smirk on her face and pushes me off her couch aggressively. Apparently my backpack is leaving skid marks on her leather chair, confused at this I stand up and call Muholi outside. This is the flight of fight moment for us, in our past experiences paying guests use these chairs to wait for check-in, it’s not rocket science. Muholi walks in and starts confronting her “You don’t like or work with black people”, I start recording on my phone, because ironically one of the most prolific visual activists of our time is confronted by racism in Paris whereas on the other end of the stick their work is celebrated by 80 000 people at the Museum of European Photography. It is innate to take action once the wrath that tried to break us down comes to the fort, we aren’t swallowing such humiliation with ease at all. 

It is important to note that the French government has taken steps to address racism in the country. For example, in 2018, a national plan was launched to combat racism and anti-Semitism. However, many argue that more needs to be done to address systemic issues.

16:38, Hotel du Vieux, tug of war: I am still recording every incident on my phone, out of the blue the same woman comes up to me and pushes my phone into my face. At this point take flight runs away from me and fight confronts her. I scream at her “Don’t push me,” she responds “You a bad person for recording.” in English this time, I push her back and come close to her face and repeat my words “Do not push me ever again.” The argument is getting heated, I look her in her eyes with anger and tell her “Where do you get the right to be so racist”, she walks away with confusion baffled by the idea of a black person confronting her about her actions. In my history of being South African I have never spoken to the elderly in that manner. It is unheard of to disrespect or raise your voice to someone that is older in our culture, however, in the back of my head, us confronting and reprimanding her about being a racist is a win, not only myself, but anyone else that will come across this level of racism in the future. 

France has seen a rise in xenophobic and anti-immigrant sentiment in recent years, with many individuals being targeted based on their race or ethnicity. This discrimination often manifests in subtle ways, such as microaggressions and racial profiling by the institutions, citizens and police.

Ironically, on the 30^th of January French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne launched the National Combating Racism, antisemitism and Discrimination act. 

As tourists from a foreign country this is our first time introduced to a vast scope of deeply entrenched racism, sugar coated with the glitz and glamour of delicately baked goods and finely cut cheese. It saddened me, an African from a deeply rooted racist colonial past experiencing first world racism. 

30 April, 17:40, Promenade Plantee – La Coulée Verte: Simon saves the day and books us into another hotel a block away. I can tell from his expression that he is shocked and livid at the treatment that we received a few minutes ago. It felt surreal, heavy in the sense that as a white man that is also a foreigner from England, had to use his power to change the situation for the better. What was going through my mind as I dropped off my bags in the new hotel room was the social attitudes towards race that evidently have a significant impact on the wider French society. Discrimination and prejudice that leads to this level of exclusion, marginalization, and even violence against those who are perceived as different. This creates a climate of fear, mistrust, and division that undermines social cohesion and democracy. 

In South Africa we strive to build connections with people from diverse backgrounds and actively promote inclusion and diversity in our communities. There are organizations such as Inkanyiso, established in 2006 by Professor Zanele Muholi to help build a cohesive and collaborative spaces for the LGBTQ+ community and heteronormative societies. The way to do this is through photography, awareness campaigns and outreach initiatives, the press, charity work, sports to educate people about the harmful effects of discrimination. Additionally, creating safe spaces for marginalized communities to connect and share experiences that will help foster a more inclusive and accepting society.

In conclusion, homophobia and racism are major issues in France that require a collective effort to address. By promoting understanding, respect, and inclusivity, we can work towards building a society where everyone feels valued and accepted, regardless of their sexual orientation or race. Let’s strive to create a world where diversity is celebrated and discrimination has no place.