Racist Vandalism Targets Auch Mosque in France, Authorities Condemn Attack

The worshippers of the mosque in Auch (Gers) discovered these racist graffiti on Monday and found that the place of worship had also been vandalized, reports La Dépêche. The mosque’s surveillance cameras should allow the identification of the perpetrators of these acts, hopes a worshipper. The police were on the scene for the initial findings. The mosque should file a complaint.

"It’s really complicated to see this, with what we’ve been living through these last few days. It’s hard to live with this constant feeling of pressure, when we’re simply French citizens," deplores Zakaria Ejjouiad, secretary of the religious association that manages the mosque.

The authorities condemned "with great firmness the racist messages as well as the damage" that the Auch mosque was the target of. "I express my support to the inhabitants... Everyone must be able to live their faith without feeling in danger and stigmatized," tweeted Carole Delga, the president of the Occitanie region.

A year ago, the mosque leaders had received death threats. In 2015, it had been the victim of an arson attack. "There are a lot of little things like that. We end up wondering if one day, something more serious couldn’t happen," fears Zakaria Ejjouiad.