Quran desecrated in French mosque, Turkish center also targeted

A mosque in south-central France was vandalized in an act condemned as a severe Islamophobic attack, with copies of the Quran torn and desecrated on the premises. The French Council of the Muslim Faith (CFCM) stated that the incident in Le Puy-en-Velay has left the Muslim community deeply hurt and shocked. This comes amid a separate attack targeting a Turkish-Islamic cultural center in the country, raising alarms about a worsening climate.

Council Condemns "Toxic Climate"

In a statement on X, the CFCM detailed that individuals broke into the mosque in broad daylight to commit the act. "This desecration, which symbolically targeted the sacred book of Muslims within a place of worship, constitutes a serious Islamophobic act," the council asserted. It warned of the risk of such acts multiplying within what it described as a "toxic climate" fueled by biased discourse.

Turkish Cultural Center Targeted in Separate Attack

In a related development, a cultural center in Montreal-la-Cluse affiliated with DITIB, a major Turkish-Muslim religious affairs organization, was also attacked. The association reported discovering a bullet, apparently from a firearm, in its mailbox last Wednesday. It strongly condemned the act as targeting both the local Turkish community and the principle of harmonious coexistence.

Legal Actions and Calls for Serenity

The Turkish association vowed to pursue all necessary legal measures, stating it would follow the matter with the utmost seriousness. It noted the attack seemed aimed at "undermining the practice of living together and disrupting this atmosphere of serenity." These back-to-back incidents highlight growing concerns over religiously and ethnically motivated hostility in France, directly impacting both French Muslim and Turkish diaspora communities.