Nationwide Tributes and Mobilization Follow Mehdi Kessaci’s Murder Linked to Organized Crime in Marseille

On November 13, 2025, Mehdi Kessaci, a 20-year-old man, was tragically murdered in Marseille. Authorities, including Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau, have linked the assassination directly to organized crime, suggesting the killing was a politically motivated "warning assassination" related to activism against narcotrafficking.

Mehdi's family, having already lost a child to drug-related violence in 2020, has called for nationwide tributes and mobilizations. His older brother, Amine Kessaci—an environmental activist and vocal opponent of drug trafficking—has urged the public to rise in large numbers, declaring, “We need to be thousands to rise.” Amine dismisses the official characterization of the murder as a mere warning, instead condemning it as a cowardly political crime targeting an innocent young man.

A white march is set for November 22 at 3 PM in Marseille, beginning at the site where Mehdi was killed. The event will see attendance from the mayor of Marseille, Benoît Payan, and other prominent political leaders. Demonstrations and moments of silence are also planned across multiple French cities including Paris, Lyon, Bordeaux, Strasbourg, and Toulouse. Additionally, the European Parliament is scheduled to observe a minute of silence at 5 PM on November 24 in Mehdi’s memory.

This series of actions comes amid broader concerns over escalating narcotrafficking violence in France’s overseas territories. Notably, Martinique recently experienced two deadly shootings within 24 hours linked to drug trafficking. Law enforcement uncovered a narcotics cache in Fort-de-France containing firearms, cannabis, and cocaine, highlighting the intensifying criminal activity beyond mainland France.

The murder of Mehdi Kessaci has thus sparked not only mourning but a call for countrywide mobilization against drug-related violence, reflecting growing alarm and determination to confront organized crime and its impact on communities in Marseille and across France.