Orpi France Employee

Incident Summary

• Location: 187 Rue Faubourg Saint Martin, 10th arrondissement, Paris 9.
• Perpetrator: Allegedly linked to Orpi, a major French real estate agency (branded @orpifrance).
• Threat: Verbal assault including the phrase “We will burn your Palestine”—a clear ethnopolitical threat tied to her Palestinian identity and activism.
• Context: Occurs amid heightened tensions in France over Gaza, where Hassan faces frequent attacks for condemning Israeli policies

About Rima Hassan

• Background: Born stateless in Syria’s Neirab Palestinian refugee camp; obtained French citizenship at 18 164.
• Career: International law scholar, founder of the Refugee Camps Observatory, and MEP for La France Insoumise (LFI) since 2024 1620.
• Activism:
  • Gaza Advocacy: Calls Israel’s actions “genocide,” supports breaking the Gaza blockade (e.g., via the Freedom Flotilla raid in June 2025) 131.
  • Controversies: Labels Hamas’ Oct 7 attacks “legitimate under international law” 19, leading to legal scrutiny and death threats 16.
• Public Profile: A polarizing figure in France; targeted by pro-Israeli groups, antisemitic accusations, and online hate campaigns 419.

3. Legal & Political Implications

• Hate Crime: The threat (“burn your Palestine”) constitutes incitement to racial hatred under French law (Penal Code Art. R.624-4). Penalties include up to 3 years imprisonment + €45,000 fine.
• Orpi’s Liability: If the perpetrator is an employee, Orpi could face:
  • Civil lawsuits for workplace violence.
  • Reputational damage and boycotts (e.g., #BoycottOrpi).
• Broader Pattern: Part of escalating attacks against pro-Palestinian voices in France:
  • Politicians like Mathilde Panot (LFI) investigated for “apology of terrorism” 4.
  • Hassan previously detained by Israel, strip-searched, and held in solitary confinement

4. Required Actions

1. Immediate:
   • File a police report at the 10th arrondissement police station, citing witness accounts + any video evidence.
   • Demand Orpi’s internal investigation: Publicly clarify if the assailant is an employee and disclose disciplinary actions.
2. Political Advocacy:
   • EU Parliament Intervention: As an MEP, Hassan can invoke parliamentary immunity to demand French authorities prioritize her safety 7.
   • Public Condemnation: Mobilize allies (e.g., Jean-Luc Mélenchon, Greta Thunberg) to pressure Orpi and French officials 19.
3. Security Measures:
   • Request police protection given death threats documented in past 16.
   • Sue perpetrators under France’s hate speech laws.

5. Significance

This attack reflects:

• Systemic Targeting: Pro-Palestinian figures face violence, censorship, and smear campaigns (e.g., Hassan suspended from L’Oréal, Forbes event canceled) 416.
• French Societal Divide: Rising Islamophobia and suppression of Gaza solidarity, despite public support for Palestinian rights 19.
• Urgency for Accountability: Orpi must respond transparently to avoid complicity in ethnopolitical violence.