The New York Times argues that Libya has a "long history of racist violence being reported.
"[1] Black Africans were victims of chattel slavery in Libya until the 20th century.
In the 21st century, a significant number of sub-Saharan Africans came to Libya, primarily to work as unskilled laborers.
In recent years, a number of racist incidents targeting Black migrants have been reported.
[2][3][4] According to Peter Bouckaert of Human Rights Watch, the incidents targeting migrants and refugees reflect "a deep-seated racism and anti-African sentiment in Libyan society.