Authorities in France have discovered nearly 60 graves in a French cemetery covered in Islamic graffiti, including phrases such as ‘Submit to Allah’ and ‘Happy Ramadan, non-Muslims’.
On Monday morning, a total of 58 burial sites in Clermont-d’Excideuil cemetery, in Périgord Vert, Dordogne, were discovered scrawled over in an incident that has left the neighbourhood outraged.
Images of the graffiti show Islamic messages written in French sprayed in black and white paint across graves and doors.
The vandalism allegedly occurred over Sunday night, only to be discovered by the Mayor of Clermont d’Excideuil, Claude Eymery, the following morning.
Tombs, the war memorial, the church door, a Calvary, and a fountain were covered with inscriptions.
On the side of one grave site, a message written in uppercase reads: ‘France is already Allah’s’.
Another says: ‘Happy Ramadan, non-Muslims’.
The word ‘GWER’ can be spotted on at least two tombs – translating from Algerian Arabic to a white person, a Westerner, or a non-Muslim.
The church, located 300 metres from the cemetery, was also made a target with the inscription ‘Ramadan Mubarak’ on its wooden doors.
Mayor Eymery reportedly discovered the vandalised site when we arrived at the cemetery at 8:30am on Monday morning.
He immediately called the police and filed a complaint, telling FranceInfo: ‘It’s weird in a small town like that. I thought it only happened elsewhere’.
The cemetery is a popular burial site for Périgord Vert’s inhabitants, and many were reportedly left ‘shocked’ and ‘traumatised’ by the incident.
‘People came to see the tombs of their ancestors, of their elders, which were dedicated to eternal rest and ultimately which were disturbed,’ said Alexandre Caillé, of the SOS Calvaires association.
‘What is important is the symbol: we are talking about the war memorial, about people who fought for France to be free.
‘People are really outraged, shocked, even traumatized for some,” she added.
Another resident told FranceInfo: ‘I just discovered these tags and it sends shivers down my spine. When I read this, it chills me. It’s a trauma for the town’.
One more said: ‘I didn’t believe it, not here. Honestly, I’m scandalized! I hope we’ll find the author(s) who did this. I grew up in a foster family where they taught respect. Even if you are not a believer or of another religion, you must respect yourself’.
