On 21 April 2021, the publication of an open letter in France about the threat of a “civil war” made waves. About 1,000 signatories from the armed forces blamed "fanatic partisans" for creating divisions between communities, and claimed that Islamists were taking over whole parts of the nation's territory.
The finger of blame pointed decisively in the direction of both “Islamist” militants and “anti-racist” protesters as the primary sources of social division and hatred. The article started life as a marginal contribution posted by a retired general on his personal blog, which was signed by around 20 former military officers. But it soon gained media traction and graduated into a weighty ‘open letter’ that was picked up by the right-wing magazine, Valeurs Actuelles.
Marine Le Pen, the radical-Right presidential contender, enthusiastically endorsed the letter, calling it a grave warning that a veritable “battle” for the heart of France is well underway. Since its publication, the number of signatories has risen exponentially – to six figures and counting.
