The minister of the Interior went to Thursday morning in two churches in Seine-Saint-Denis which were the target of acts of vandalism during the night from Sunday to Monday.
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Every year, places of worship are desecrated in France. The Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, announced, Thursday, January 13, an envelope of four million euros to secure them, and 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.”, said 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 (Seine-Saint-Denis) 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.
Between January and October 2021, some 1 380 Anti-religious acts (insults, vandalism, desecration) were recorded in France, down 17% compared to the previous year, according to the Interior Ministry. Among them, 686 anti-Christian acts, against 921 in 2019, a decrease of 25%. Regarding anti-Semitic acts, the Ministry of the Interior recorded a decrease of 15%, 523 in 2021 against 617 in 2019. Anti-Muslim acts are up 32% (171 against 129 in 2019).