Armed and masked militants have issued a chilling warning to outsiders and second-home owners in Corsica, telling them to 'stay at home' as they clutched assault rifles. The threat targets those relocating to the French Mediterranean island, known for its beaches, historic villages and cuisine.
Video shows armed group's warning
Around a dozen hooded, armed members of the Corsican National Liberation Front-Union of Combatants (FLNC-UC) appeared in a video with machine guns clearly visible. The separatist organisation, which seeks full independence for Corsica from France, directed its warning at those settling on the island and buying holiday homes.
One man, thought 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."
Investigation launched
The FLNC-UC further warned that those acquiring second homes in Corsica "shouldn't feel safe", characterising the influx of newcomers as "rampant settlement-driven colonisation". French anti-terror prosecutors have since reportedly launched a preliminary investigation following the video's release. The inquiry is understood to be looking into a suspected conspiracy to commit terrorist acts, alongside the possession of weapons linked to such activity.
The group wants to put people off relocating to the island.
Autonomy proposals dismissed
The footage also showed the group dismissing proposals to grant Corsica greater autonomy while retaining the island within the French Republic. The proposed legislation has already cleared the lower house of the French parliament and is scheduled to go before the Senate in October.
Under the proposals, Corsica would be acknowledged as a separate historical, linguistic and cultural entity, while its local assembly would receive enhanced authority. However, the FLNC-UC described the agreement as a "farce" and argued it fails to acknowledge the Corsican people and their long-established grievances.
It stated the measures "lead to the denial of the existence of our people and the repudiation of the main demands of recent decades". The organisation added: "The Corsican people will never be a vulgar administrative community."
History of attacks
The organisation also maintains nearly 5,000 individuals relocate to the island from France annually to seek employment or purchase property. The French publication Corse-Matin highlighted a dramatic increase in second-home ownership and characterised those acquiring properties on the island as "invaders".
The FLNC initially appeared in 1976, when it took responsibility for 18 assaults during a so-called "blue night", which witnessed a series of bombings throughout the island. It subsequently fractured into multiple factions due to internal conflicts. A significant wave of attacks attributed to the FLNC occurred in 2023, when 45 explosions primarily targeted holiday properties and a disused tax office in Ajaccio, with no casualties recorded.
