Amine Kessaci, a young French campaigner who founded the association Conscience to help victims of drugs violence, has tragically lost his second brother to suspected gang violence in Marseille. Mehdi Kessaci, 20, was shot and killed while parking his car in the city center when a motorcyclist opened fire with a 9mm pistol.
The murder comes just two years after the death of Amine’s elder brother, Brahim, who was murdered in 2020 in a brutal gang-related execution. His charred body was found in a burned-out car, a common method used in gang killings known locally as a “barbecue.” While Brahim had been involved with drugs gangs, investigators have confirmed that Mehdi had no such ties and had aspirations of becoming a policeman. This has led to speculation that his murder may have been a warning directed at Amine.
The city’s worsening drugs wars between rival gangs in the northern, high-immigration neighborhoods of Marseille have made the region infamous for escalating violence. Nicolas Bessone, the chief prosecutor in Marseille, has acknowledged the possibility of the killing being a targeted message, highlighting the terrifying implications if such violence spreads to innocent family members.
In response to his brother’s murder, Amine Kessaci, then a high-school student, founded the Conscience association. The group’s mission is to help young people in Marseille’s disadvantaged neighborhoods escape the grip of powerful drugs gangs. Amine’s involvement in the fight against drugs violence escalated further when, despite facing personal tragedy, he ran unsuccessfully for the Green Party in the 2021 European and legislative elections.
At just 22 years old, Amine lives under police protection after receiving death threats. His book, Marseille Wipe Your Tears – Life and Death in a Land of Drugs, sheds light on his personal journey and the societal struggles faced by young people in Marseille’s poorest areas.
Christine Juste, a Green Party city councillor in Marseille, expressed her sorrow and anger over the situation. She said, “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.”
Amine’s campaign and work through Conscience continue to provide essential support to families affected by drugs violence, offering advice, creating job opportunities, and linking former delinquents to potential employers. Despite the overwhelming challenges, his activism has made a mark, with Conscience now operating in multiple towns and cities across France.
Amine’s political journey was sparked by the tragic loss of his brother. As he writes 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 ongoing drug-related murders in Marseille, particularly among the city’s youth, reflect the deeply entrenched vendettas that fuel the violence. With 14 murders related to drugs already this year, the crisis shows no signs of abating, leaving families like Amine’s to endure the devastating effects.
