AhlulBayt News Agency: A former Muslim place of worship in northeastern France has been vandalized, with copies of the Holy Quran desecrated, swastika symbols graffitied on the walls, and signs of an attempted arson.
The attack targeted a building in L’Hopital, near Saint-Avold in the Moselle region, previously managed by the Muslim association Les Amis du Peuple Méditerranéen.
Although the site has not been used as a mosque since 2021 due to safety regulations, it remains under the association’s ownership.
Prayer rugs were torn apart, furniture overturned, and gas bottles, tires, and jerrycans filled with gasoline were found at the scene, suggesting an intent to set the building on fire.
The association’s representatives had not visited the building for three weeks prior to May 27, making it unclear when exactly the vandalism occurred.
Police forensic teams have conducted investigations, and a formal complaint has been filed.
"This vile racist act strikes at the heart of our social cohesion," said municipal councilor Tristan Atmania, calling for the perpetrators to be brought to justice.
Mayor Emmanuel Schuler condemned the attack as "unacceptable and intolerable".
The incident has sparked widespread outrage on social media and comes amid growing concerns over anti-Muslim acts in France.
Just a month ago, 22-year-old Malian national Aboubakar Cisss was killed in a stabbing attack inside the Khadija mosque in La Grand-Combe (Gard), further alarming Muslim communities across the country.
Authorities have yet to identify the vandals responsible for the latest attack.
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