Paris (France) (AFP) – Bolema Bossio Wangi, father of the young man killed on October 23 during the racist attack in Yvelines, hoped on Monday that the national tribute which will be paid to the victims would be “the opportunity for real awareness and a commitment against racism”.

Published on: 02/11/2026 - 1:15 p.m.

“To the President of the Republic, who plans to pay a national tribute to the victims of this racist attack, we would like to remind you that such a tribute should not only be a moment of contemplation, it must also be an opportunity for real awareness and a commitment against racism and all forms of hatred,” declared Ambre Banguid, reading a statement from his father, too moved to express himself.

“Coming from African immigration, I grew up in France in the 80s and 90s, a period when attacks against North Africans or blacks were unfortunately common. And I did not believe that several decades later, my son Pengo Bossio Wangi would succumb to the hand of an individual driven by the same hatred,” he lamented, via his daughter, during a press conference in Paris.

“Today, in a France plagued by strong identity tensions, I am afraid as the father of black children,” he said.

“But despite our anger and our pain, Pengo’s mother and I choose to trust in the justice of this country,” he added.

“If the death of our son should serve any purpose, it is to raise awareness of the racism that has plagued French society for decades, a racism fueled by certain media and political parties,” underlined Bolema Bossio Wangi.

“We love this country for the values ​​it carries and in which we deeply believe, such as fraternity,” he said, adding: “France must always remain faithful to its values, whatever the origins” and “the color of skin” of its inhabitants.

On October 23, Pengo Bossio Wangi, 26, was killed by Kévin T., who also injured seven other people, including several of African or North African origin, during a bloody journey to Trappes and La Verrière.

Kévin T, 39, was indicted on Thursday and placed in pre-trial detention.

The father's lawyer, Me Zineb Alami, indicated that his client and his family would become civil parties.

She regretted that no member of the government contacted Pengo's father, he was "very saddened", she said.

This tragedy in Trappes, which "was prepared" as the National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor's Office said, was born in "a climate of racist hatred, which has gradually taken hold" and "which is eating away at our country", said Me Alami.

"Three days before, there had already been an attack (led by Kévin T.) on a black person. So, he (had) already started to take action": "if the same signals had made people think of Islamist terrorism, would we have proceeded in the same way?" asked Me Alami.

She hoped that the investigation would shed "light on what happened, on the ideology which pushed him to commit this act", she noted, believing that hatred is fueled by far-right speeches, relayed in particular by "media which offer them a permanent platform".

“Minds are contaminated by these words,” noted Mr. Alami, asking that “we take responsibility for everyone”.

© 2026 AFP

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