Muslim Organizations Condemn Fatal Knife Attack in Mulhouse

"In these dark hours, our thoughts first go to the victims, their families and their loved ones. We express our full and complete solidarity with them, as well as with all the inhabitants of Mulhouse, shaken by this tragedy. Nothing can justify such violence," said the Council of the Muslim Cult of Haut-Rhin (CCMHR) in a statement.

On Saturday, a knife attack was carried out in Mulhouse (Haut-Rhin) on the sidelines of a demonstration in support of Congo. The toll is one dead and several injured, including municipal police officers. Lino Sousa Loureiro, a 69-year-old Portuguese, died after trying to intervene against the assailant, as well as the victims of the attack, parking agents and on-duty municipal police officers.

The CCMHR calls for "unity in the face of hatred." "It is together, in dignity and resilience, that we must continue to uphold the ideals of peace, tolerance and living together that form the foundation of our society," the Muslim organization believes. "In the face of this threat and these fanatics, we reaffirm our determination to relentlessly combat terrorism that claims to be from Islam by calling for unity and vigilance from all to defend our universal values of freedom and peace."

For its part, the Council of Mosques of the Rhône (CMR) condemns "with the greatest force and the deepest despair these abject criminal acts, totally contrary to our teachings and our values." Faced with "such violence that only sows chaos and division," the body, chaired by the rector of the Grand Mosque of Lyon Kamel Kabtane, reaffirms that "the Muslim community, attached to the principles of peace and fraternity, is itself a victim of these barbaric acts that it rejects unequivocally. Once again, these crimes bring disgrace on millions of citizens who simply aspire to live in serenity and mutual respect."

The Grand Mosque of Strasbourg has expressed its "unwavering solidarity with the families of the victims and to convey its most sincere thoughts to the injured, especially the police officers who risk their lives every day to protect ours." "We reaffirm with strength and conviction this universal truth that life is sacred. Nothing, absolutely nothing, can justify an attack on it. Blind violence and hatred have no place in our society," the GMS hammered, recalling that unity is strength.

The Grand Mosque of Paris has invited French Muslims "to pray for the memory of the victim, to surround the injured and their families with solidarity and compassion," as the month of Ramadan 2025 approaches. "Nothing can justify such violence," the organization reiterated, hoping "that all the light will be shed on this abject and criminal act."