French interior minister Bruno Retailleau on Friday accused Algeria of “trying to humiliate France” after the North African country refused to admit one of its nationals who was being deported, reports The Independent.
The influencer was arrested in the city of Montpellier on Sunday on charges of inciting violence in videos he posted on social media. French immigration officials put him on a flight to Algiers Thursday, but Algeria refused to admit him, saying he was banned from entering its territory.
He was finally sent back to France that evening, the French interior ministry said.
Police in France have in recent days arrested four Algerian nationals described by authorities as social media influencers accused of posting videos inciting violence, against a backdrop of soured relations.
“I want to express my astonishment,” Retailleau said Friday. “I think we’ve reached an extremely worrying threshold with Algeria. It’s clear that Algeria is trying to humiliate France.”