Anti-Muslim Attacks Surge in France Following Teacher’s Murder

Damage has been reported in Montélimar, graffiti and broken windows in Bordeaux. Arson threats in Béziers, two veiled women assaulted in Paris, and especially three mosques targeted, including the Maison du Maroc in Montélimar and the one in Bordeaux.

These acts were immediately reported by Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin. "I have asked the prefects of the departments concerned to protect these places of worship," the minister said on Twitter. These attacks are not surprising to some. After each attack, there is the same "outpouring of hatred," recalled the general delegate of CFCM, reports la-croix.com.

Abdellah Zekry, head of the observatory at the CFCM, said that an increase in anti-Muslim acts and threats can be expected in the coming weeks. Since the beginning of 2020, he has counted 67 anti-Muslim acts and threats. He fears that other places of worship and people may be threatened, as was the case for two veiled women assaulted at the foot of the Eiffel Tower on Sunday, October 18.

In this case, two suspects have been indicted for insulting the victims as "dirty Arabs". The victims’ lawyer, Arié Alimi, believes that the attack is not directly related to the attack in Conflans-Sainte-Honorine. However, "the collective outpouring of hatred expressed through several political forces and members of the government since the attack encourages the racist act against Muslims. It should be noted that in the attack that occurred in Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, the student’s parent Brahim C., and Abdelhakim Sefrioui, have been indicted for "complicity in terrorist murder".