Several left-wing politicians denounced “hatred against Muslims” and “racism” on Wednesday, after threatening tags targeted a mosque in Pessac in the Bordeaux suburbs in early November.
The day before, the president of the association which manages this place of worship, Abdourahmane Ridouane, had denounced an “abject death threat from the fascist against the faithful of the Pessac mosque”, by posting on Facebook a photo of a tag – “your coffins or your suitcases” – written on the gates of the place during the night of November 5.
“This is the fourth time in two years” that this mosque has been targeted in this way, Ridouane told AFP on Wednesday, denouncing a “climate of hatred which is fueled by all the controversies about Islam and Muslims”.
“Is it so hard to recognize?” »
“For the 4th time, the Pessac mosque has been desecrated. Fourth time. How many Islamophobic attacks? How many unpunished? Places and freedom of worship must be respected and protected. It is the guarantee of secularism of the rule of law,” reacted on X (formerly Twitter) Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the leader of France Insoumise.
“Our fellow Muslims ALSO are in danger. Is it so hard to recognize? », added LFI deputy David Guiraud. “Abject. The Pessac mosque is still subject to threats and racism against our Muslim compatriots,” declared LFI deputy François Ruffin.
Among the Socialists, MP Jérôme Guedj called “faced with demonstrations of hatred against Muslims, not to let anything go”. ” Intolerable. Inadmissible. The extreme right in its works,” also denounced the first secretary of the Socialist Party Olivier Faure.
The Pessac mosque had previously been targeted by hateful inscriptions last March, as well as in October 2022 with tags calling for “nationalist revenge” and to obtain “justice for Lola”, a 12-year-old schoolgirl killed in Paris by an Algerian national. Complaints were filed each time, according to the head of this mosque. Its temporary closure in 2022 by the authorities, who suspected it of spreading “a Salafist ideology”, was canceled by the administrative court and then the Council of State.