French Attitudes Harden Toward The Muslims In Their Midst
Here.
The use of the word “banlieue” (the word “suburb” in English may be the translation, but it is a misleading one, and “outskirts” might be better) to mean, metonymically, Muslims, is well-understood by journalists and by their readers in France.
When an article describes French attitudes toward the “banlieues” as hardening, that means French attitudes toward Muslims in their midst is hardening. It’s taken a long time. Reality is breaking in.