A pot of support for the manager of a Geox threatened with death exceeds 50,000 euros in donations

An online fundraiser to support the manager of a Geox shoe store in Strasbourg (Bas-Rhin), who was threatened with death after a filmed altercation with a temporary worker wearing the hijab (Islamic veil), has already collected more than 50,000 euros in donations. Launched on Saturday by Jean Messiha on the Gofundme platform, the prize pool exceeded 53,462 euros this Thursday afternoon. It initially aimed for 10,000 euros. The goal? “Financially help Nicolas who is prevented from working and who will probably have to face costly legal proceedings.”

In the extract posted on social networks and which went viral at the end of last week, the merchant refused to employ a temporary worker who did not want to remove her veil in a Geox store in Strasbourg. Accused of “Islamophobia” and the target of several threats, he filed a complaint last Thursday “against X on counts of defamation, public insult and malicious telephone calls”.

Calls to sully the brand's digital reputation had also flooded social networks including X, formerly Twitter. Last Thursday, several Internet users publicly advised posting false reviews on the Geox Strasbourg Google page. “Don’t hesitate to go to Google, Geox, Strasbourg, and leave a very bad review. It will make these racists feel bad,” notes an X user. “Google Geox Strasbourg... Leave them really disgusting reviews. Boycott,” writes another. “Geox is going to post dirty reviews,” we can also read. Or even “Hey guys, put as many negative reviews as possible!!”. Words followed by death threats. To the point that Jean Messiha speaks of “torrent of hateful and racist insults as well as death threats”.

Also read “She has a veil and does not want to take it off”: in Strasbourg, the manager of a Geox store threatened with death for having failed a Muslim temporary worker

Last June, the short-lived spokesperson for Eric Zemmour's campaign had already distinguished himself by launching a fundraiser in support of the police officer who shot Nahel fatally. Jean Messiha then raised more than 1.6 million euros. The former senior official had been summoned for a hearing as a free suspect in this investigation opened for fraud by the Paris prosecutor's office and entrusted to the Brigade for the Repression of Astute Delinquency (BRDA). Nahel's family had filed a complaint in particular for organized fraud, denouncing “fraudulent maneuvers” and “lies” aimed at “deceiving” donors to raise funds.