Paris, France – April 20, 2025
Hundreds of Burkina Faso citizens took to the streets of Paris on Saturday, April 20, 2025, to protest against their country’s leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, demanding his resignation. The demonstration, captured in images and videos shared widely on social media, highlighted growing discontent among the Burkinabè diaspora in France, Burkina Faso’s former colonial power.
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The protesters accused Traoré of complicity in a recent massacre of 80 Fulani villagers—mostly women, children, and elderly—in a village in Burkina Faso. According to a comment on the African Hub X post by user Omar Ba (@LeOmarBa), the killings were allegedly carried out by militias armed by the Burkinabè army. One particularly gruesome report claimed a perpetrator was seen eating the liver of a victim. The protesters called for justice, urging Traoré to investigate the killings and hold those responsible accountable, or step down.
Ibrahim Traoré, who seized power in a September 2022 coup d’état, has been a polarizing figure. His leadership followed a series of military takeovers in Burkina Faso, including a January 2022 coup that ousted the democratic government of President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré. Traoré’s regime has since shifted Burkina Faso’s alliances, distancing the country from France and forming the Alliance of Sahel States with Mali and Niger in 2023. This bloc has sought closer ties with Russia, replacing Western military support with Russian mercenaries, including the Wagner Group, amid ongoing jihadist insurgencies in the Sahel region.
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The protest in France underscores historical tensions between Burkina Faso and its former colonizer. While Traoré has garnered support at home for his anti-French stance—evidenced by 2023 protests in Ouagadougou demanding the departure of the French ambassador—he faces mounting criticism for failing to address security challenges. Human Rights Watch reported in March 2025 that pro-government militias were implicated in a massacre in Solenzo, targeting displaced Fulani communities in retaliatory attacks. The watchdog noted a significant rise in militia attacks on civilians since Traoré took power, often accusing the Fulani of supporting Islamist fighters.
Reactions to the Paris protest on X were mixed. Some users, like @FmmMoramaga, argued that diaspora protesters should respect Burkina Faso’s sovereignty and not interfere in domestic politics from abroad. Others, such as @mirriamp, questioned why the protest was held in France rather than Burkina Faso. Meanwhile, @Kanayochukwu01 expressed frustration, noting that many Nigerians admire Traoré and wish for a similar leader, highlighting the complex perceptions of his leadership across Africa.
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The demonstration in Paris reflects broader challenges facing Burkina Faso, including ethnic tensions, security crises, and the legacy of colonial influence. As Traoré navigates these issues, the voices of the diaspora signal that his leadership will continue to face scrutiny both at home and abroad.
