Tragedy Strikes Again: Second Brother of Anti-Drugs Activist Killed in Marseille

Fri Nov 14 2025 16:47:43 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In a grim continuation of violence, Amine Kessaci's second brother, Mehdi, has been shot dead in Marseille, raising fears of gang-related threats against the young activist.

Mehdi Kessaci, a 20-year-old student aspiring to be a police officer, was shot in an apparent gang-related attack, just two years after his brother Brahim was murdered. This tragedy deepens the ongoing saga of violence linked to drug gangs in Marseille, as Amine Kessaci, a former candidate for the Green Party and anti-drugs campaigner, faces growing threats and police protection.

A second brother of young French anti-drugs campaigner Amine Kessaci has been shot dead in Marseille in a suspected criminal gang killing.

Mehdi Kessaci, aged 20, was parking his car in central Marseille when a motorcycle approached and a passenger shot him with a 9mm pistol. This incident comes just two years after his brother Brahim was murdered in a similar violent manner, with his body discovered in a burned-out car, a common tactic in gang-related killings.

In response to his elder brother's death, Amine Kessaci founded an association called Conscience, aimed at helping young people in Marseille break free from the influences of drug gangs. Following the tragic death of Mehdi, who reportedly had no ties to drugs and had ambitions of becoming a policeman, investigators fear this murder could serve as a warning directed at Amine.

Marseille's chief prosecutor, Nicolas Bessone, stated that they are not ruling out the possibility that Mehdi's killing was a message intended for Amine, emphasizing the shocking escalation of gang violence in the region. The fear is that such an act resembles dark periods of violence in France's past.

Amine, who previously faced death threats and is currently living under police protection, has a significant profile in his efforts against drug-related violence. His recent endeavors include running for the Green Party in elections and publishing a book detailing his experiences titled 'Marseille Wipe your Tears – Life and Death in a Land of Drugs.'

The deaths of the Kessaci brothers underscore the escalating drug wars in Marseille, a city known for its severe crime issues. As of this year, there have been 14 drug-related murders, with killings often perpetrated by young individuals.

Christine Juste, a Green Party city councillor, expressed her heartbreak over the brutal losses faced by Amine and his family, lamenting the ease with which violence erupts in France's second largest city.