French authorities open terrorism investigations after rap song and extremist references disrupt schools and churches
French prosecutors have opened preliminary investigations for public glorification of terrorism after high school students in Beaugency and Nice used extremist references and played a rap song referencing Mohamed Merah and the Bataclan attacks during demonstrations and remote classes, valeursactuelles.com reported. The incidents, which unfolded in early October 2026, also included a separate event in a Vendée church where minors played the same track.
The controversy centers on the track “MRH” by rapper BORO700, released on August 21, 2026. The song explicitly references Mohamed Merah, the Bataclan theatre attack, and Salah Abdeslam. As high school blockades and protests spread across France, the track has emerged as a recurring audio backdrop for student demonstrations, drawing swift condemnation from political figures and leading to legal filings.
High school blockades in Beaugency and church disruption in Soullans
On Thursday, students at the François-Villon high school in Beaugency blocked their institution and chanted along to “MRH.” A video of the scene circulated widely on social media. European Parliament member Matthieu Valet submitted an Article 40 report to prosecutors on Monday, prompting the Orléans prosecutor’s office to open a preliminary investigation into apology of terrorism and apology of terrorism through a communication service.
Days later in the Vendée region, the same song echoed inside the Saint-Hilaire church in Soullans. According to a municipal statement issued Tuesday, a group of minors entered the building holding a speaker at full volume, playing the track and jumping toward the chœur and altar. Mayor Vincent Jolly stated that the participants likely did not fully measure the gravity of their actions, though municipal authorities confirmed that institutional procedures remain underway.
Political figures voiced sharp reactions to the incidents on social media platform X. European Parliament member Laurence Trochu criticized the youth culture surrounding the events, while Senator Valérie Boyer characterized the church intrusion as a deliberate desecration and questioned what sanctions would follow.
Videoconference disruptions in Nice and institutional responses
The infiltration of extremist monikers extended beyond physical protests into digital classrooms. On the morning of October 6, 2026, students at Vauban high school in Nice logged into remote classes using the pseudonyms Abdeslam, Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, and Freeze Corleone. The first two names directly reference perpetrators of mass casualty attacks in France, including the author of the Nice attack, while the third refers to a controversial French rapper.
Local media outlet Nice-Matin reported that the regional education rectorate initiated formal reports to the local prosecutor and filed criminal complaints. Éric Ciotti condemned the digital disruption on X, pointing to the incident as evidence of eroding institutional authority and civic boundaries.
Odile Téqui, general director of the Syndicat de la Famille, also addressed the trend on October 6, describing the track by BORO700 as an alarming rallying cry for student blockades and attributing the unrest to decades of declining enforcement of rules within schools and homes.
Frequently asked questions about the investigations
Which legal articles and charges apply to the investigations opened by prosecutors?
The Orléans prosecutor’s office opened a preliminary investigation specifically targeting apology of terrorism and apology of terrorism through a communication service, following an Article 40 filing submitted by European Parliament member Matthieu Valet.
What specific lyrics from the BORO700 track triggered the controversy?
The song’s lyrics explicitly mention Mohamed Merah, evading cameras, shooting at the Bataclan, and hunting Salah Abdeslam, alongside references to Adolf Hitler.
How did school officials in Nice respond to the videoconference incident?
The regional education rectorate filed formal complaints and submitted official reports to the local prosecutor after students logged into virtual classes using the names of terrorists.
What actions did municipal authorities take following the incident in the Soullans church?
The mayor of Soullans, Vincent Jolly, released a municipal statement confirming the event on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, and stated that appropriate institutional procedures are handling the minors involved.