Muslim graves vandalised in France

Reuters/Aljazeera ^ | Thursday 24 June 2004

[presidio9]

Nazi vandals have struck at the Muslim community in the Alsace region of eastern France, desecrating 48 graves of Muslim soldiers with swastikas and "SS" inscriptions.

The vandals smashed seven Muslim gravestones overnight in the military cemetery in this town north of Strasbourg, capital of the region which has seen about a dozen graffiti attacks on Muslim, Jewish and Christian sites in recent weeks.

In a statement, on Thursday, Interior Minister Dominique de Villepin expressed "indignation at this new manifestation of hate, which is particularly unbearable because it concerns soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice to defend the freedom of France."

A desecration of Muslim graves in Strasbourg last week prompted President Jacques Chirac to announce a new drive to end ethnic intolerance in France.

Villepin visited local Muslim leaders after that attack to announce the creation of an interfaith committee to work towards greater tolerance and understanding.

Local Muslim leaders reported seven attacks against Muslim sites in Strasbourg in April, including graffiti saying "death to Arabs". Most Muslims in France are of North African origin.

France is home to Europe's largest Muslim and Jewish minorities, both of which have sizable communities in Alsace.

[presidio9]

[wideawake]

Muslims served with distinction in the Skandarbeg division of Hitler's SS - the only specifically confessional SS division.

Maybe these guys thought they were honoring the graves.

[prion]

the region which has seen about a dozen graffiti attacks on Muslim, Jewish and Christian sites in recent weeks.

Uhhhh...then what are they? Neopagans or something? Or stupid kids just doing the wickedest thing they can think of with a can of spray paint?

[King Prout]

I don't buy it.
Muslims were allied to the Nazis.

I don't think neonazis did this.

I think it is more likely that someone decided to call it like it is, after too many jewish and christian graves were vandalized by Muslims.

[lilylangtree]

At least the vandals left Jewish graves alone this time.

[TheSpottedOwl]

In a statement, on Thursday, Interior Minister Dominique de Villepin expressed "indignation at this new manifestation of hate, which is particularly unbearable because it concerns soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice to defend the freedom of France."

Well I guess some graves are more worthy than others. I don't seem to recall de Villepin making such a strong statement when Jewish and American graves are desecrated.

[Junior]

Not all Moslems. Remember, the French employed Algerian troops in the war, too.

[thoughtomator]

That's because he didn't.

[Cyphas]

That was actually my thoughts as well. My first reaction wasnt that neo nazis did it but that rather someone did it to advertise the Nazi like rhetoric that spews from Muslims regarding jewish people.

[King Prout]

VICHY French were also Nazi allies.

[sheik yerbouty]

Tant pis...c'est dommage..

[Mr. Mojo]

.....desecrating 48 graves of Muslim soldiers with swastikas

Strange how both neo-Nazis AND Muslims use swastikas in their vandalism.

[Mr. Bird]

Nazis in France? The frogs must be getting nostalgic.

[helmz28]

Ask any European 'Neo-Nazi' what they think of Muslims.Muslim immigration is the number 1 concern of every Nationalist party in Europe.Racially motivated violence in France,Holland and England is almost always between Nationalists and Muslims.Most of them arent 'Nazis' in the sense they follow the doctrine of the German National Socialist Party.Most of them dont really care about Jews that much anymore either,thats usually reserved for American 'Nazis' who are lost in a timewarp.

[helmz28]

Neo-Nazi types are opposed to all religions that originate from the middle east in favour of indigenous European belief systems like Nordic/Celtic/Neo-Pagan.The exception to this is the KKK/Christian Identity folks.

[fella]

Not all Moslems. Remember, the French employed Algerian troops in the war, too.

Yes they did. And both of them were firring machine guns into our Higgins boat on November 8th 1942 at Oran, Algiers and Casablanca. They put up stiff resistance and we lost many landing craft and troops. Although when the wine and cheese ran out on the 11th they hoisted they're tablecloths onto flagpoles

[aNYCguy]

Well I guess some graves are more worthy than others. I don't seem to recall de Villepin making such a strong statement when Jewish and American graves are desecrated.

He made a pretty strong statement when a Jewish mural was desecrated:

"[Villepin] expressed to all those affected and revolted by this desecration the government's profound solidarity and his wish to punish firmly acts that cannot be justified," Villepin's office said in a statement."

Regarding the grave vandalization:

"Interior Minister Dominique de Villepin suggested Monday that French laws might need to be changed in order to address the rise in anti-Semitism. "We must constantly question the means at our disposal," De Villepin told Europe 1 radio. "We need appropriate responses. When these responses are not satisfactory ... the law must simply be adapted, adding new punishments."

He also called the acts "intolerable," met with Jewish leaders, and vowed security would be increased at Jewish sites.

[highlander_UW]

Villepin visited local Muslim leaders after that attack to announce the creation of an interfaith committee to work towards greater tolerance and understanding.

just curious...did Villepin visit Jewish and Christian leaders after graves of those faiths were desecrated?

[King Prout]

well, whoever defaced the Muslim graves, they shouldn't have done it.

OTOH, whoever fights against the Islamification of Europe is preferable to those who fight FOR the Islamification of Europe, so i guess I am tepidly and very provisionally on the side of European "neo-Nazis"

[randog]

At least the vandals left Jewish graves alone this time.

Yeah, but I'll bet dollars to doughnuts that the Jews get the retaliation.