Thousands Rally in Marseille Demanding Justice After Shooting Linked to Anti-Drug Activism

Thousands of people gathered in Marseille on Saturday to pay tribute to 20-year-old Mehdi Kessaci, who was shot dead while sitting in his parked car on November 13. The killing has intensified nationwide calls for tougher action against drug-related violence and prompted a large demonstration in France's second-largest city.

Protesters chanted "Justice for Mehdi" and observed a minute of silence at the roundabout where the young man was killed. Authorities are investigating the case but say the attack appears to be a "warning crime" tied to the anti-drug activism of Mehdi's 22-year-old brother, Amine Kessaci, who received cheers when he unexpectedly joined the crowd.

Amine, now living under police protection, has campaigned publicly since his half-brother Brahim was murdered in a drug-trafficking feud in 2020. In a recorded message played to the gathering, he demanded accountability: "I demand justice for Mehdi. I demand justice for Brahim, my other murdered brother. I demand justice for all the victims. I demand safety for my family." His attendance had been kept uncertain until the last moment for security reasons.

A strong security presence marked the event in the southern port city, which has been dogged by gang violence and drug turf disputes. Activists, residents and politicians from across the political spectrum joined more than 6,200 people at the rally; many wore white and laid white flowers at the site where Mehdi — who had aspired to become a police officer — was killed.

Local leaders urged unity and action. "Fear cannot beat us," Marseille Mayor Benoit Payan told the crowd. "We must resist and fight them, wage a war against those who kill for money," he said, rejecting any label that would brand Marseille a "narco-city." Interior Minister Laurent Nunez described the killing as a "turning point," and President Emmanuel Macron called for stepped-up measures, urging authorities to apply the same rigor used in counterterrorism efforts.

For many residents, the rally was both a moment of mourning and a public demand for institutional change. Seventy-two-year-old activist Anne-Marie Tagawa said disadvantaged neighbourhoods have been "abandoned by institutions, the State," creating conditions in which criminal networks thrive. Mehdi and Brahim's mother, Ouassila Benhamdi, attended dressed in white and, overcome with grief, asked the government to grasp the gravity of the situation: "This must stop, for all the families affected by this scourge."

While drug-related homicides frequently make headlines in Marseille — with more than a dozen people killed since the start of the year in disputes tied to cocaine and cannabis trafficking — Mehdi Kessaci's killing has struck a particular chord nationwide. A former lawmaker proposed awarding Amine the Legion of Honor; Amine instead urged recognition for "the mothers of the neighbourhoods" who daily confront the consequences of violence.

The demonstration sparked solidarity events planned in roughly 25 other towns and cities, and leaders called for a comprehensive response that combines law enforcement, social investment and community support to prevent further bloodshed and restore public safety.