April Benayoum, Runner Up in Miss France Beauty Contest, Targeted by Anti-Semitic Attacks

By: Fern Sidman

Police in France are investigating a torrent of anti-semitic tweets about a contestant in the Miss France competition, who revealed her father was of Israeli origin, according to a report on the Euronews.com web site.

Algemeiner reported on Sunday that leading French-Jewish groups, the Israeli Embassy in France, and numerous local politicians condemned the social media attacks on April Benayoum, 21, a top contestant in the Miss France contest.

Benayoum, representing Provence, came second in the competition, prompting many antisemitic comments, as was reported by Euronews.

The BBC reported that in an interview with the Var-Matin newspaper, Ms Benayoum said she heard about the anti-Jewish insults from her relatives.

“It is sad to witness such behaviour in 2020,” said Ms Benayoum, who represented the south-eastern region of Provence in the contest. “I obviously condemn these comments, but it does not affect me at all.”

Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said he was “deeply shocked” by the comments and stated that “the police and gendarmerie services are mobilized,” according to the EuroNews report. Minister Delegate for Citizenship Marlène Schiappa indicated that she was sending a report to the public prosecutor.

Algemeiner reported that the Conseil Représentatif des Institutions juives de France (Crif), the umbrella organization of France’s Jewish community, called the attacks on Benayoum “vile and unacceptable!”

Renaud Muselier, a local politician of the area where April Benayoum lives, called the attacks an “abomination”, stressing that the young woman is “French, of Italian and Israeli origin, from Provence, from the south” and “perfectly represents our region and our country,” as was reported by EuroNews.

The BBC reported that Minister of Citizenship Marlène Schiappa tweeted that the beauty competition was “not a contest of anti-Semitism”.

The International League Against Racism and Anti-Semitism said “see you in court for the twitos who last night turned Twitter into an antisemitic cesspool against Miss Provence” The Union of Jewish Students of France (UEJF) denounced “an antisemitic competition,” as was reported by EuroNews.

The Israeli Embassy in France also weighed in, according to the Algemeiner report saying, “We condemn in the strongest possible terms the surge of anti-Semitic and anti-Zionist hatred on social networks last night” and pledged “full support” for Benayoum.

Israel Hayom reported that the Jewish advocacy group StopAntiSemitism.org came to her defense on Twitter: “A gorgeous #MissFrance2021 contestant, April Benayoum, is receiving horrific anti-Semitic responses after stating she has an Israeli father. Just a few of the tweets: ‘Don’t vote for a Jew.’ ‘Hitler forgot this one.'”

The Union of Jewish Students in France also noted this unfair treatment she has received because of her roots, tweeting: “Miss France 2021, no longer a beauty contest, it is an anti-Semitism contest because of the surname of Miss Provence who called herself Italian-Israeli.”

The BBC reported that Amandine Petit, or Miss Normandy, was crowned this year’s winner, beating a field of 29 contestants to win a cash prize, use of a Paris apartment and a monthly salary for one year. She told France’s BFM TV the “inappropriate remarks” were “extremely disappointing” to see.

Among the oldest in the world, the first French beauty contest was created in 1920 by the journalist Maurice de Waleffe.

The BBC reported that France, which has Europe’s biggest Jewish population of around half a million, has seen a number of anti-Semitic attacks in recent years. The French government has faced pressure to respond to violence against and harassment of Jews in the country.

A 2019 EU report indicated that 44% of young Europeans Jews face antisemitic harassment and almost half don’t wear clothing identified with their religion because of fears over their safety.

The findings stem from a survey conducted by the European Commission and the European Union agency for fundamental rights with over 2,700 Jews aged 16-34 from 12 member states.