France: University cancels researcher's lecture on radical Islamism due to pressure from left-wing students

French anthropologist Florence Bergeaud-Blackler, a specialist on the radical Islamist organization Muslim Brotherhood, expressed backlash against the University of Lille after the institution canceled a lecture by the academic under pressure from the Student Union, a federation of far-left student unions, French newspaper Le Figaro reported.

Bergeaud-Blackler, president of the European Center for Research and Information on Brothers (CERIF, for its French acronym) and a researcher at the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS, for its French acronym), intends to prosecute the matter.

"I regret that the University of Lille is giving in to these methods of terror, that it cannot host my conference or organize an academic debate," the sociologist said on X, regarding the cancelled talk, entitled “The Brotherhood and Its Networks.”

Bergeaud-Blackler, who was recently awarded the Legion of Honor, added that the event was canceled by decision of the dean.

The cancellation of the talk was confirmed by the right-wing student union UNI, which organized the event.

"When we informed students about the conference, the Student Union posted on its social networks a message calling to cancel it," explained Yvenn Le Coz, national delegate of UNI, indicated Le Figaro.

Student Union welcoms the cancellation of the event

The Student Union celebrated the decision to cancel the event. In a post on Instagram, it shared an image of the sociologist accompanied by a message that reads, "Against racist lectures at the university." It added: "This week, the far-right student group UNI announced two lectures at the faculty. The first on European Tax Harmonization and the second on The Brotherhood and Its Networks. These lectures are part of their racist, Islamophobic and neoliberal political agenda."

In addition, the post notes, "We note with horror the return of a fascist wave spreading throughout society."

The university's justification

Aymeric Potteau, dean of the university, justified the decision to cancel the event.

In an email sent to UNI, which was accessed by Le Figaro had access, Potteau said, "I regret to inform you that your request cannot succeed due to the magnitude of the disruption of public order that the conference would inevitably provoke on the Moulins campus, given the extreme conflict between the guest and members of a unit established on that campus."

‘I will sue’

Speaking to the French newspaper, Bergeaud-Blackler maintained that the university did not inform her of the decision, but learned about it from the students who organized the event.

"I am upset with the university for not defending me, rather than with the students who refuse my presence," she said.

The researcher also responded to the post shared by the Student Union against her.

"Student Union, for this infamous poster, I will sue you," the sociologist wrote. She added that "the methods of the Muslim Brotherhood should be known to all."