Gunning of a mosque in the South of France

Single Incident Alert DateApril 25, 2010 Country: France Address: Istres General Type: Racist violence Racism and discrimination phenomena: Islamophobia
Groups affected / Interested in: Muslims Key socio-economic/institutional areas: Religion
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 N/A
Extremist/Organised Group Violence No

In the night of Sunday 25 April 2011, the mosque in the city of Istres (Bouches-du-Rhône - South of France) was attacked. In the early morning, several shots were fired off and the Imam of the mosque discovered the impacts in the morning, when opening the mosque for the prayer. During the same night, an "hallal" butcher trade was also the target of more than twenty Kalachnikov shots. 

 

The two gunning had a national impact as on Monday 26 April 2010, the Prime minister received the members of the French Council of the Muslim Cult (CFCM – Conseil français du culte musulman) in order to discuss the draft law prohibiting the integral veil. The Prime minister announced his “sharp emotion”, and the CFCM denounced “a new escalation in violence”.

Sources: Frédéric Legrand, La mosquée d'Istres cible de tirs ce week-end, in 20 Minutes, 26 April 2010, http://www.20minutes.fr/marseille/400335-Marseille-La-mosquee-d-Istres-cible-de-tirs-ce-week-end.php