Neighbors Rally to Repaint Mayor’s Gate After Racist Vandalism in French Town

"When I got home yesterday, I discovered that the gate of my house had just been repainted," wrote Mayor Mohamed Lamine Gnabaly on his Twitter account, adding, "My neighbors spontaneously decided to do it. Thank you, really, infinitely..."

Describing himself as a "passionate man" and an "optimistic mayor" on the internet, it may be these qualities that earned him the help of his neighbors after the discovery of the racist graffiti on the gate of his home.

Internet users did not spare their support: "Support to you. A nauseating wind is receding in France as elsewhere, fanned by the fire of a hateful, normalized and uninhibited political discourse every day... Respect to your neighbors," wrote one user.

"Intelligent, objective and generous neighbors. [...] It always hurts the heart. And great congratulations to your neighbors," added another.