Desecrating a mosque is not a sign of “joy and pride”! Degrading it is not an opinion, it is an offense punishable by law
Following yet another desecration of the Qouba de la Croix Rousse mosque, the CFCM expressed on its X account (tweet) its firm condemnation of this hateful harassment against a place of worship. This desecration took place a few hours after that of the Cherbourg mosque, also the victim of numerous attacks including a gunshot still visible on its gate.
In reaction to this conviction, Florence Bergeaud Blackler, known for her zeal on tweeting, posted: “No hatred here, on the contrary. At most, building degradation. The CFCM condemns the joy and pride of those who do not think like it“.
Everyone is free to be proud of what they want. Everyone is free to criticize Islam and express their opinions on its principles and practices. However, this expression must be done in compliance with the Law.
Degrading a place of worship is not an opinion, it is an offense whose perpetrator faces up to five years of imprisonment and a fine of 75,000 euros. Promoting it as this polemicist does is a provocation and an incitement to commit crimes.
The CFCM is outraged by the fact that a researcher, who is also affiliated with the CNRS, can publicly and openly applaud acts of delinquency against a mosque at a time when anti-Muslim acts are increasing in a worrying manner.
These acts sometimes begin with tagging, and can go, as was the case recently, to the burning of mosques with worshipers praying inside, or even shootings at mosques or even at worshipers like this. was the case in Bayonne.
In the same register, the polemicist Jean Messiha has just described “new French hero who demonstrated admirable courage“, an individual who attacked a young Muslim girl for the sole reason that she was wearing the veil in a bakery. This glorification is a provocation and incitement to punishable hatred and discrimination which has no place in our country.
As a reminder, on January 11, 2024, the Nîmes criminal court sentenced three months suspended prison sentence the manager of a supermarket in Nîmes and to pay a symbolic euro to the CFCM. This manager was found guilty of refusing access to his business to veiled women in 2020.
In both cases, the messages conveyed are serious and irresponsible due to the strong audience enjoyed by the two polemicists in the media and on social networks. By openly inciting criminal acts, under the cover of freedom of expression, these polemicists promote hatred and discrimination and threaten cohesion in our country.
Paris, April 22, 2024
The French Council of Muslim Worship
