Desecration of Muslim graves

Alert DateApril 6, 2008 Country: France Address: Arras General Type: Racist violence Racism and discrimination phenomena: Islamophobia
Groups affected / Interested in: Muslims Key socio-economic/institutional areas: Religion Hate speech/Racist Discourse Medium: Other
Victims Data
Victims Nationality/Ethnic Origin N/A
Victims Gender N/A
Victims Age N/A
Victims Number N/A
Fatalities - deaths N/A
Perpetrators Data
Perpetrators Nationality/Ethnic Origin N/A
Perpetrator Gender N/A
Perpetrator Age N/A
Perpetrators Number 10
Extremist/Organised Group Violence No

On April 6, 2008 about 150 Muslim graves were damaged in the military cemetery Notre-Dame de Lorette in Arras (Pas-de-Calais). It was the second time this cemetery was desecrated (the same thing happened in April 2007). The graves were "severely damaged", having been covered by islamophobic and racist insults. Steles and gravestone were knocked over and smashed to pieces with no particular logic.

Source: Profanation de Notre-Dame-de-Lorette: dix interpellations, in La Voix du Nord, 09 September 2008, http://www.lavoixdunord.fr/Region/actualite/Secteur_Region/2008/09/09/article_profanation-du-cimetiere-de-notre-dame-de-lorette.shtml