Feminist activist’s “collateral damage” remark on rape threat fuels outrage amid French riots

During the October 17 mobilisations, far-left activist Bettina Zourli told a woman who reported being threatened with rape that the threat was “collateral damage,” a remark that quickly spread online and drew condemnation from politicians including Gabriel Attal. Zourli, who identifies as a feminist author and content creator, later said the phrase was a poor choice, emphasizing that she condemns sexual violence and that the threat was unrelated to the protests.

She has received thousands of threats herself and expressed regret for reacting coldly while under stress. The controversy unfolds amid France’s ongoing riots, where Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez announced the deployment of about 70,000 security personnel and partial curfews, while shop looting and arrests have surged. President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu are seeking to quell the violence, with student union UNEF planning rallies despite government appeals. The ultra-left party France Unbowed and its leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon have been blamed for inciting further unrest.