Partially burnt Korans left after the ransacking. Photo: Pierre-Antoine FOURNIL / AFP
Posted on 12/26/2015 1:54:14 AM PST by csvset
Demonstrators ransacked a Muslim prayer hall and attempted to burn copies of the Koran on the French island of Corsica Friday, police said, following a night of violence that left two firefighters injured.
Tensions had mounted in Ajaccio on Christmas Day after two firefighters and a police officer were wounded overnight in Jardins de L'Empereur, a low-income neighbourhood of the city when they were "ambushed" by "several hooded youths", authorities said.
On Friday afternoon around 150 people had gathered in front of police headquarters in the island's capital in a show of support for the police and firefighters, officials said in a statement.
But some in that crowd broke away to join as many as 600 who headed for the housing estate where the violence took place the night before.
They shouted slogans in Corsican meaning "Arabs get out!" or "This is our home!", an AFP correspondent reported.
Nearby was a Muslim prayer room and a small group smashed the glass door and entered the place of worship, ransacking it and partially burning books including copies of the Koran, said regional official Francois Lalanne.
"Fifty prayer books were thrown out on the street," Lalanne said, adding that some of the pages were burnt.
Police were to remain present on the housing estate overnight on Friday, with a security presence around five Muslim places of worship in Ajaccio, Lalanne told AFP.
They would receive reinforcements in the coming days, he added. French Prime Minister Manuel Valls wrote on Twitter that the break-in was "an unacceptable desecration", while also condemning the "intolerable attack" on the wounded firefighters.
Anouar Kbibech, president of the French Council of the Muslim Faith (CFCM), said he had learnt of the mosque attack and the burning of "several copies of the Koran" with "distress".
French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said the attack on the Muslim prayer hall showed signs of "racism and xenophobia".
He also condemned the assault on law enforcement and safety officers in Corsica, saying he hoped "the authors of the violence would be identified and arrested as soon as possible."
Far-right, nationalist gains
Local authorities including Christophe Mirmand, the prefect or top official of Corsica, also vowed to arrest those responsible for the outbreak of violence over two days on the Mediterranean island.
The Christmas violence came amid heightened security measures for the season in France after the November 13 attacks by jihadists in Paris that killed 130 people.
Dalil Boubakeur, the rector of the Grand Mosque of Paris, said he was "dismayed and saddened" by the events on Corsica in an appearance on France's BFMTV, calling for "calm and cool heads".
Around 120,000 French police, members of armed units and soldiers were mobilised on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Corsica is a department of France which held regional elections earlier this month, which had seen the far-right anti-immigrant Front National make unprecedented gains in the first round of the vote.
On Corsica the nationalists won the regional election there taking power for the first time.
(AFP)
Hooded youths, causing trouble the world over.
Fwiw, I received a hoodie as a Christmas gift. I'm thinking about embarking on a crime wave.
Partially burnt Korans left after the ransacking. Photo: Pierre-Antoine FOURNIL / AFP
Only this time it won't be Jews they are after.
I’ve been thinking the same thing.
Clear these crazy pigs out.
wouldnt be surprised if the reason they were only partially burnt is that they were urine soaked.
If that is Nazism... then ACHTUNG BABY!
We are seeing the beginning of the new Crusades that is a defensive response to the satanic savage koranimal’s political movement that MUST be annihilated once and for all.
She and her aunt are leading the Euro Crusades.
Trump is leading America’s Crusades by speaking the truth.
Irony. A low income area named “Gardens of the Emperor”.
Good news. Thanks for posting.
What goes around comes around.
“Corsica is a department of France”
...with an atypically high badass content.
I, too found that ironic. Kind of like the Imperial Courts, a low-income housing project located in Watts, Calif., located on Croesus Ave., which is named for a king renowned for his fabulous wealth.
Do the job you are paid to do.
Next to Sicilians, Corsicans are some of the last folks I’d mess with.
They have no income without government “assistance” (i.e. TOTAL SUPPORT).
They obey NO LAW (except their own).
They make NOTHING (except trouble).
The have no shelter they are not GIVEN (gratis).
$O $TOP $UPPORTING THEM ALREADY!!!
It’s an uphill battle, the government will side with the “refugees”, people will have to be willing to go up against a modern fighting force to get to the enemy.
Pour a little bacon fat on them and they’ll start up again very nicely.
Makes you wonder, if the muzzie problem gets unbearable here, because of a feral government, will LEO side with the protected muzzies or we the people?
Ooops. I think I answered my own question.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.