Holy Quran set ablaze outside mosque in France amid rising Islamophobia

The Holy Quran was once again desecrated in France after it was set on fire and left outside a mosque in the southeastern commune of Villeurbanne, part of the Metropolis of Lyon. The incident was confirmed by a Muslim organisation, which strongly denounced the act as an example of growing Islamophobia and hostility toward Muslims in the country.

According to the Rhone Mosque Council (CMR), an unidentified individual gained access to the mosque’s prayer room on Sunday night, set the Holy Quran on fire, and threw it outside the building before fleeing the scene.

Read: Judge convicts man who burned Quran in London

“This vile act is part of a series of hateful assaults that reflect a worrying and increasingly hostile climate towards Muslim citizens in France,” Turkiye Today quoted the council as saying. The desecration was condemned as an act of “appalling cowardice.”

The CMR also referred to a previous tragic incident on April 25, when Aboubakar Cissé was stabbed to death while praying at the mosque, describing it as a “painful” event that further illustrates the threats facing the Muslim community.

“We strongly condemn this heinous desecration, which is a grave violation of the dignity of worshippers and of the fundamental principles of our Republic, foremost among them being freedom of worship,” the council added.

Read: Quran burner attacked outside Turkish Consulate in London

They called on authorities to identify the perpetrator and initiate “exemplary” legal proceedings.

“Now more than ever, it is our collective responsibility, that of institutions, elected officials, and every citizen, to stand united against all forms of hatred, stigmatisation, and violence targeting places of worship and believers, regardless of their faith,” the statement concluded.

Police confirmed that an investigation into the Quran burning incident is currently underway.