Armed and masked militants have issued a stark warning to outsiders and second-home owners in Corsica, urging them to stay away from the French Mediterranean island. The threat comes from the Corsican National Liberation Front-Union of Combatants (FLNC-UC), a separatist group pushing for full independence from France.
Around a dozen hooded, weapon-wielding members appeared in a video with machine guns on display, directing their message at those settling on the island and buying holiday homes. One man, believed to be the group's leader, declared in August: "Until our national rights are recognised and respected, we have only one message for them: stay at home."
Terror investigation launched
French anti-terror prosecutors have reportedly opened a preliminary investigation following the release of the video. The inquiry is understood to be examining a suspected conspiracy to commit terrorist acts, alongside the possession of weapons connected to such activity.
The FLNC-UC cautioned that those purchasing second homes in Corsica "shouldn't feel safe", branding the wave of newcomers as "rampant settlement-driven colonisation", reports the Express.
Autonomy plans rejected
The footage also showed the group criticising proposals to grant Corsica greater autonomy while keeping the island within the French Republic. The proposed law has passed through the lower chamber of the French parliament and is due to be put to the Senate in October.
Under the plans, Corsica would be recognised as a distinct historical, linguistic and cultural entity, while its local assembly would be granted greater powers. The FLNC-UC branded the agreement a "farce", arguing it falls short of recognising the Corsican people and their grievances.
It declared the measures "lead to the denial of the existence of our people and the repudiation of the main demands of recent decades", adding: "The Corsican people will never be a vulgar administrative community."
Rising second-home ownership
The group claims that nearly 5,000 people relocate to the island from mainland France each year in search of work or to buy property. French publication Corse-Matin flagged a sharp rise in second-home ownership, describing those buying properties as "invaders".
The FLNC first emerged in 1976, claiming responsibility for 18 attacks during a so-called "blue night", which saw a string of bombings across the island. It later split into several factions owing to internal disputes. A major wave of attacks linked to the FLNC took place in 2023, with 45 explosions largely targeting holiday homes and a disused tax office in Ajaccio, with no lives lost.
