Arsonist attempts to set fire to Turkish mosque in France's Chateaudun
Arsonist attempts to set fire to Turkish mosque in France's Chateaudun
A Mosque in France's northern region was targeted by an unknown arsonist, the latest in a series of attacks against Muslims across France.
2 min read
France has seen a surge in Islamophobic attacks [Facebook/ Cimg Chateaudun]
A Mosque in northern France's Chateaudun was targetted in an arson attempt, which authorities said they are investigating amid tensions between radical secularists and the country's Muslim minority.
According to Turkish media reports, the suspect of the attempted arson poured a can of gasoline into the mosque and started a fire, which was immediately put out.
Mosque representatives, who are part of the Islamic Community of Millî Görüş (CIMG), filed a complaint prompting a police investigation.
French police said in a statement that the incident is being investigated as an attempted arson.
Fateh Sarri Kiir, Secretary-General of CIMG, said in a statment that the attack took place on Thursday, after the Mosque closed as part of efforts to curb the spread of the coronavirus. The fire caused some damage to the walls of the Mosque, but the damages were minor he said.
"We hope the individual will be apprehended and taken to court as soon as possible," Kiir said.
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A series of Islamophobic attacks have targeted France's Muslim community in the wake of the beheading of school teacher Samuel Paty
The killer, Moscow-born Chechen jihadist Aboulakh Anzoro, reportedly carried out the murder in response to Paty showing some of his pupils controversial cartoons of Prophet Muhammad.
Read also: Macron faces backlash after claiming 'secularism never killed anyone'
Last week, two Jordanian siblings were assaulted in France's Angers in an incident they claim was fuelled by hate speech against muslims in light of recent events. Earlier in the month, two veiled French-Algerian women were stabbed in Paris after being insulted for their hijab.
Tensions were simmering even before the gruesome beheading, after French President Emmanuel Macron announced a new campaign against Islamic radicalism. As a result, France shut down more than 70 mosques and private Islamic schools since the start of the year.
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