Mosque in France Attacked by Arsonist During Prayers
The Finistère prefecture said in a statement that the incident happened on Saturday morning.
The Islamic Council of France (CFCM) also issued a statement, expressing its solidarity with the mosque community and management, and urging all mosques in France to be vigilant.
Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said on the social network X that he supported the Muslims of Finistère and that an investigation had been launched to find and prosecute the perpetrator.
A surveillance video, published by local media, showed a person in a hooded vest spraying a flammable liquid on the entrance of the mosque, before igniting it and causing a fire.
The flames damaged the front door of the prayer hall and a nearby neon light, and smoke filled the area. No one was hurt in the attack.
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This was not the first time that the mosque of Saint-Martin-des-Champs had been targeted by vandalism, according to France 3 Bretagne. About ten years ago, raw sausages were hung from the mosque's railings, the media outlet reported.
The arson attack comes amid rising Islamophobia in Western countries following the Israel-Hamas war in the besieged Gaza Strip.
Source: Agencies
