France protests: A look at origin of ‘Bismillah, c’est les ténèbres’ slogan — in which other countries did it appear?

A peculiar French-language phrase, “Bismillah, c’est les ténèbres”, has become an unlikely rallying cry among students protesting in France. What began as a viral screenshot of a Snapchat conversation has evolved into a protest slogan, appearing on banners, placards and social media posts across parts of Europe.

The phrase, which loosely translates to “In the name of God, it's the darkness”, has drawn attention because of its alleged connection to undercover police officers attempting to infiltrate student protest groups. Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg has also repeated the expression during a visit to striking students in Seine-Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on October 13.

According to Euronews, the slogan has appeared at demonstrations in Belgium and Italy, while students at a French school in Berlin were also photographed displaying a banner carrying the phrase.

Meanwhile, “C’est les ténèbres” translates to “it's the darkness”. According to Euronews, the expression is used by young people to describe a situation that is particularly grim, disastrous or hopeless.

The combination of the two expressions does not have a coherent meaning. Its absurdity is part of its appeal, as students use it to mock attempts by outsiders to imitate the language and expressions of young people.

In the screenshot, a user identified as “Mamadou” reportedly attempted to enter a student group with the message: “Hi, in the name of God, it's the darkness. When's the blockade, wallah, bro?”

The message also contained Algerian flag emojis. Other screenshots showed similar accounts asking students about planned blockades and the availability of fireworks and smoke grenades.

Students suspected that these accounts belonged to undercover police officers posing as teenagers to access private protest groups. They interpreted the awkward combination of Arabic expressions, French street slang and national flag emojis as an unsuccessful attempt to imitate young protesters.

However, the allegation has not been independently established.

French police and the country's Interior Ministry had not commented on the screenshots, Euronews reported on October 19.

It has appeared in the following places:

Belgium: The slogan featured on placards during a union-led demonstration in Brussels on October 9 against the Belgian government's budget cuts. Its use was also seen as a gesture of solidarity with French students.

Italy: The phrase appeared at student demonstrations in Bologna on October 15. It was subsequently heard in Milan during protests on October 17 and 18, including gatherings at Piazza del Duomo.

The expression has also gained traction online, featuring in parody videos, memes and social media posts.

Demonstrators have raised concerns over lengthy school days, overcrowded classrooms, poorly maintained school buildings and recurring teacher shortages. Many argue that these problems disproportionately affect students from working-class neighbourhoods and minority communities.

The protests gathered momentum during this month. Around 400 schools were reportedly shut because of blockades on October 2.

The student demonstrations also coincided with nationwide protests against the rising cost of living on October 17. Those demonstrations were followed by incidents of rioting and looting in several areas.

"We will deploy the Sentinelle force, obviously as a substitute to interior security forces... mostly to free police and gendarmes in their mission to maintain order," Nunez told the National Assembly.

His remarks came after Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu announced that security arrangements for Saturday's demonstrations would be "massive". Lecornu also said his objective was to ensure an "immediate return to order" following a weekend marked by violent riots.

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