Strasbourg: Graffiti against minarets, Muslims

Strasbourg: Graffiti against minarets, Muslims


A car parked at the residence of an official of the future Grand Mosque of Strasbourg was covered with swastikas and racist and anti-minaret graffiti, the association running the mosque said Tuesday. The residence of the Strasbourg mayor (Socialist Party) was similarly attacked 48 hours previously.

A car parked in the Bischheim suburb of Strasbourg, in the private parking of Fouad Douai, manager of the Grand Mosque building project, was defaced with racist graffiti Monday night, according to a statement by Abdelaziz Choukri, executive vice president of the mosque. the graffiti included three swastikas, a celtic cross, and the inscriptions "no minarets", "Islam out" and "Immigrants out", Choukri said.

Choukri says the Bas-Rhin Muslim community and its leaders express their strong feelings and their support and solidarity with the people affected by this racist graffiti. They demand that the judicial authorities remain mobilized to ensure such acts don't go unpunished. Douai lodged a complaint Tuesday for 'aggravated damage'. The Grand Mosque of Strasbourg, now being built next to the city center, will be opened in late 2010 and accommodate at least 2,000 people.

The current building project, approved by the former UMP municipality, does not have minarets, but Roland Ries, senator and mayor, repeatedly said that if the Muslims wanted it, he saw 'no reason' to prevent them from building one.

Source: Le Figaro (French)

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