Amine Kessaci, a prominent French anti-drugs campaigner, has suffered another devastating loss as his second brother, Mehdi Kessaci, was shot dead in Marseille on Thursday. The 20-year-old was parking his car in the city center when a motorcycle pulled up, and the pillion passenger opened fire with a 9mm pistol. This tragic incident follows the 2020 murder of Amine’s elder brother, Brahim, whose charred body was found in a burned-out car—a grim hallmark of gang-related killings locally referred to as a ‘barbecue.’
Amine, who was just 17 when Brahim was killed, founded an association called Conscience to help young people in Marseille’s impoverished neighborhoods escape the grip of powerful drug gangs. Investigators believe Mehdi’s murder may have been a targeted warning to Amine, who has recently received death threats and is under police protection. Marseille’s chief prosecutor, Nicolas Bessone, stated that this hypothesis is not being ruled out, adding that such acts evoke dark periods in France’s history when familial vendettas led to brutal killings.
Marseille, France’s second-largest city, has become infamous for its escalating drug wars, with rival gangs from high-immigration neighborhoods battling for control. This year alone, there have been 14 drug-related murders, often involving teenagers as young as 15. Amine’s association, Conscience, operates in several cities, offering support to families affected by drug violence and bridging connections between former delinquents and employers.
Amine, who ran unsuccessfully for the Green Party in European and legislative elections last year, recently published a book titled *Marseille Wipe your Tears – Life and Death in a Land of Drugs*. He has become a symbol of resilience, having met President Emmanuel Macron in 2021 to discuss initiatives to improve life in Marseille. Reflecting on his journey, Amine wrote in his book, ‘Politics never held out its hand to me, so I decided to grab it by the throat. Brahim – it was you who threw me into politics the day you burned in a car.’
The killings of his brothers have not only devastated Amine but also highlighted the pervasive violence plaguing Marseille. Christine Juste, a Green Party city councillor, expressed her sorrow and anger, stating, ‘No mother should go through that—losing two children. And I’m so angry that in France’s second city, people can be murdered so easily in plain daylight.’