AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): In a statement, the council said threatening messages had been found on the mosque’s walls, including the words: “Pack your bags or carry a coffin; Islam must leave here.” A dead bird was also reportedly placed in front of the mosque.
The council described the acts as an attempt to intimidate worshippers and spread fear within the Muslim community.
The messages and the dead bird were discovered on Tuesday. The following day, around 200 people gathered outside the mosque to denounce anti-Muslim hatred.
The CFCM, which represents Muslims in France, said the incidents went far beyond acts of provocation, describing them as an open attempt to target people because of their religious identity. It expressed solidarity with the mosque’s worshippers and Muslims in Lodève.
Council warns against normalisation of anti-Muslim hostility
The council said the continuing pattern of hostile acts against Muslims, alongside rhetoric that stigmatizes and fuels hatred toward France’s Muslim population, was creating a deeply concerning situation.
It warned that treating hate speech as normal could pave the way for acts of violence.
The CFCM urged local authorities to recognize the seriousness of the threats, investigate all aspects of the incidents and take firm action. It also called for stronger protection for places of worship and for those responsible to be brought to justice.
“Muslims in France live in this country,” the council said, stressing that no one had the right to deprive them of the ability to live there in peace and dignity.
Previous incidents raise concern
The council also referred to earlier attacks and threats against Muslim places of worship in France.
In November last year, a mosque in Jargeau, near Orléans in central France, reportedly received a threatening letter warning that it would be set on fire again. The mosque had previously been targeted in an arson attack in February 2025.
In April 2025, a Muslim man was stabbed inside a mosque in southern France. The attack prompted widespread condemnation and protests, while raising further concerns about growing anti-Muslim hatred in the country.
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