500 Muslim Soldiers' Tombs Desecrated In France

PARIS — Vandals desecrated at least 500 tombs of Muslim soldiers in northern France on Monday _ an act President Nicolas Sarkozy denounced as "repugnant racism."

The desecration near the town of Arras appeared timed with the start of Eid al-Adha, the most important holiday in the Muslim calendar.

The administration for the Pas-de-Calais region said the damaged tombs were in the Muslim section of the Notre-Dame-de-Lorette cemetery, a well-groomed burial ground for World War I soldiers. Some had swastikas scrawled on the tombstone, others had lettering whose meaning was unclear.

There are 576 graves in the Muslim section of the cemetery, where more than 30,000 soldiers are buried.

Sarkozy, in a statement, said the "abject and revolting act" equates with "repugnant racism against France's Muslim community" and insults the memory of all World War I combatants.

It was the third time the Muslim section of the cemetery has been targeted. Last April, 148 tombs were desecrated, and a year before that 52 headstones and an ossuary were vandalized.

The French Council for the Muslim Faith, a group representing France's numerous Muslim groups, decried "these odious, revolting and scandalous acts" and said it expected authorities to find out who carried out the attack.

Interior Minister Michele Alliot-Marie said police were investigating the incident.

Comments

[RockySoldier]

and it's also ironic that they desecrated the graves of brave muslims who sought to liberate france when the french couldn't liberate themselves.

yep, just urinate on those who came to your aid because you were too weak to fight for yourselves. the men and women lying beneath those headstones showed more courage than any frenchman did in WWI.

[temashana]

Absolutely disgusting. The French really need to address the issue of racism in their country. They are extremely anti-semetic as well, and it's quite frightening.

[HarryMonster]

Let's clean our house first before pointing a finger. Electing Obama has not eradicated racism and hate in our country - hopefully it has moved us forward though.

[RockySoldier]

i'll worry about cleaning our 'own house' when THEY elect a minority president and stop desecrating american, british, and muslim graves that LIBERATED that country TWICE in 30 years.

[firelord5000]

Actually, European countries are far more racist than the US, not to say that we aren't, but we are far better in this aspect, I guess Europe makes up for it by being more accepting of homosexuality.

[canucklivinginUSA]

That goes both ways my friend. Europeans have always accused the US of being racists, yet close their eyes on their own brand of racism.

[wadenelson1]

Which is worse, desecration of hundred year old gravestones or killing civilians in acts of fundamentalist Muslim terrorism which put innocent people INTO graves.

[amazigh]

you really wanna know what is worse?
YOU! Period.

[profounddogs]

Right on, well said!

[vietjawn]

why would a person have to choose between two obviously bad things? the act was cowardice and the ideology was dated.

[DamageControl]

great choice but the real answer is that they are both horrible. If your point is that since your opinion that one is worse than the other whats to stop someone with a varying view to use disrespect as a justification to continue the cycle. Either way there is no winner in this equation.

[Nolana]

Did any of the hundred-years-dead soldiers under those tombstones commit the acts of terrorism to which you refer?

[jnah]

what a foolish comment. Lets descrate christians graves for the crusades. being muslim does not make you guilty by association. Its this kid of blind bigotry that has got us into such a sad state of affairs

[NextYearLions]

Just great. This is only going to make things worse and raise the ire of people.

[harriettubman]

There will always be a few racists. However France is experiencing a major challenge with its Muslim community. Because their head scarves were not allowed in school, they've had to rule against all religious symbols, including crosses and France is primarily a Catholic country!!!! I'm all for diversity but you can't tell me someone can move to a country then demand religious freedom, regardless of what it entails. There's no way I would move to Saudi Arabia and expect to wear shorts to school or anywhere else in public so why must the U.S cave in?

The U.S. has primarily been a Christian country since its founding and even today stats put believers at 85-90%. Yet we have taken the word "God" out of just about everything to appease atheiests, foreigners and more.

France and other countries need to create diversity classes to be taught in school for kids and community centers for adults so everybody knows how to deal with each other or defacement of tombstones will continue. This needs to be nipped in the bud with action, not words.

[DamageControl]

one of the primary tenets of the founding of our country is freedom of religion, regardless of numbers pertaining to any one religion or denomination people of all faiths have an equal right to choice and reverence as long as it doesn't interfere with anyone else. This isn't the case in France tho.

[firelord5000]

Actually, regarding the shorts, there are American communities in Saudi Arabia that haven't been touched be religion for Americans who migrated there to work with Saudi Amaco, a wonderful program called 60 minutes showed that on CBS last night.

[mcantwell]

Dispicable!

[4real]

Disgusting. Intolerance on all sides is WRONG.

[JohnCochtosten]

Despicable.

[Ramirez]

This is wrong. Hopefully the guilty will be found and charged as appropriate.

[canucklivinginUSA]

Not surprised here. The French are the biggest hypocrites when it comes to racism

[gascelebrations]

Big-time karma stinkbomb. I wouldn't want to see what lies ahead for those dweebs.

[bwilder]

Disgusting and if the idiots that did this can be found, they should
be prosecuted to the fullest degree that French law allows for such
crimes.

[AurigaRa]

Could have been a lamebrained teenager on a dare, yet it will cause so much damage in a time when nothing says patriotism like dissing the Muslims.

The criminal needs to be hunted down and punished appropriately.
Guantamo maybe?

[amaycatbaker]

Hate all over the world has to stop. This is a very sad thing to happen.

[Opt1musPr1me]

This is just disgusting.