Doha – In a disturbing incident on Friday, a severed pig’s head was discovered at the entrance of a mosque in Pont-Saint-Esprit, a town in France’s Gard department, while worshippers were conducting their morning prayers.
According to French media, the animal head was found around 8:00 a.m. by a municipal worker, who immediately alerted both local police and gendarmes. The incident occurred during Friday prayers, a significant worship day for the Muslim community.
The Gard Prefecture confirmed that a judicial investigation has been opened under the authority of the Nîmes Public Prosecutor to identify the suspects.
Pont-Saint-Esprit Mayor Valère Segal strongly condemned what he called a “horrible act committed by unworthy people who are on the margins of society.”
The mayor met with Yassine Taleb, president of the Muslim Cultural Association managing the mosque, to express full support.
“The entire city council stands behind the Muslim community. These people seek to divide communities, but on the contrary, in the face of such acts, we strengthen bonds,” Segal stated.
This incident follows similar attacks against Muslim places of worship in France. In March, a pig’s head was placed at the entrance of a Turkish mosque in Saint-Omer (Pas-de-Calais) on the eve of Ramadan.
In 2019, attackers left a pig’s head at a mosque construction site in Bergerac (Dordogne), where walls were also smeared with animal blood, according to the deputy prosecutor.
Recent data from the Collective Against Islamophobia in Europe (CCIE) indicates a sharp rise in Islamophobic acts in France.
The organization reported 828 Islamophobic incidents in 2023, marking a 57% increase from the 527 cases recorded in 2022.
These incidents included 779 cases of discrimination, 237 cases of moral harassment, 188 cases of provocation and incitement to hatred, and 23 physical assaults.
The report particularly highlighted that 81.5% of the reported incidents targeted Muslim women, reflecting a pattern of discrimination based on gender, religion, and ethnic origin.
The educational sector witnessed a significant surge in Islamophobic incidents, with 305 cases reported in 2023, representing 41% of all reported cases in France.
Read also: UN General Assembly Adopts Resolution to Combat Islamophobia
