The Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, made the announcement after acts of vandalism against two churches.
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Money to secure places of worship. The Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin announced, Thursday, January 13, an envelope of four million euros for the security of places of worship in France, in particular to finance means of video-protection. “As minister of worship, my job is to protect them. So we are increasing the means that allow us to equip places of worship in particular with video protection.”, indicated Gérald Darmanin, in front of the Saint-Germain-l’Auxerrois church in Romainville (Seine-Saint-Denis), target “break-ins”, of “flights” and a “certain number of inconveniences” in the night from Sunday to Monday.
A church in Bondy was also targeted. Two investigations have been opened to find the perpetrators, the minister said on Wednesday. “Today, it is an envelope of four million euros which is given and in particular to the Catholic Church if it wishes it and independently of the law of separation of the Church and the State”, he added. This envelope is financed by the General Secretariat of the Interministerial Committee for the Prevention of Crime and Radicalization.
Since January 2021, 1,400 anti-religious acts (insults, vandalism, desecration) have been recorded in France, down 17% compared to the previous year. 1,380 incidents were recorded between January and October, according to the Interior Ministry: 686 anti-Christian acts took place in 2021, against 921 in 2019, a decrease of 25%. Regarding anti-Semitic acts, the Interior Ministry recorded a decrease of 15%, 523 in 2021 against 617 in 2019. Anti-Muslim acts are up 32% (171 against 129 in 2019).