Significant damage was discovered this Wednesday afternoon inside the Sainte-Madeleine church in Angers. “Several statues were decapitated, crosses broken and the central high altar ransacked,” reports the mayor of Angers, Jean-Marc Verchère, who visited the scene. These acts of vandalism would have occurred at midday in this building located southeast of the city center, close to the Raymond-Kopa stadium.
“I condemn in the strongest terms this heinous act which affected an important religious and heritage building in our city”, indicates the mayor (MoDem) who brings his “support to the parishioners and to the very affected Catholic community”. A complaint will be filed.
The public prosecutor of Angers, Eric Bouillard, indicated that these degradations led to the opening of an investigation. This was entrusted to the departmental directorate of public security (DDSP) with a priority nature “in view of the seriousness of the attack on culture and heritage”. The magistrate specified that seven statues had been degraded (head or arms cut off), as well as vases and two damaged crosses. According West Francetraces of blood were found by the investigating police.
Several elected officials have also shown their support for the Angevin Catholic community, in particular the president of the regional council from Pays-de-la-Loire, Christelle Morançais (ex LR).