Egyptian Newspaper Under Fire For Racist Headline

The editor of the privately-owned Youm7 newspaper is now facing calls to quit.

This was the front page of Egypt's Youm7 newspaper Tuesday morning.

The privately owned Youm7 is known for its sensationalist headlines. But the headline on a story about black African immigrants joining gangs in Egypt went far beyond that, and has led to calls for its editor to step down.

"It's completely unacceptable," said Farad Khalid, a Sudanese immigrant to Egypt who works at a center helping new immigrants to Cairo. "We face horrible racism daily without this incitement."

Millions of refugees, asylum seekers, and migrant workers from all across Africa have made their way to Egypt over the last decade, driven by war and the chance for a better life. Many work for years in Egypt's thriving illegal economy, laboring at half the cost of Egyptian workers in jobs ranging from construction to manual labor on farms.

"Are there Sudanese who have joined gangs in Egypt? Yes, most certainly," said Khalid. "But that is something that we cannot stop, especially when a life of crime is all they have to turn to."

On Twitter, many condemned Youm7's headline, saying it promoted xenophobia.

Headline by @youm7 isn't just using the "N" word, but is also promoting xenophobia towards Sudanese folks in #Egypt https://t.co/gM3Uxn3j19

So @youm7 decided to use the most degradatory term in history as a headline.

Hey @GroupAnon @OperationEgypt @occupythemob please take down @youm7's website. Racist/homophobic Egyptian newspaper ruining people's lives.

Dec 2005 #Egypt police massacred at least 27 Sudanese refugees at sit-in #Cairo. Racism alive & well. Shame @youm7

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