“Where are these 1,200 anti-Semitic acts that there are in France?”, asked the imam of the Grand Mosque of Paris on Tuesday morning, November 14, 2023, on the airwaves of RMC, notably causing the Minister of Justice to react. ‘Interior.
Since the Hamas attack on October 7, followed by the war between Israel and Hamas, anti-Semitic acts have increased around the world, but also in France. Regularly, the Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, or the Prime Minister, Élisabeth Borne, take stock of the figures. Guest of the RMC morning show this Tuesday, November 14, 2023, Abdelali Mamoun, the imam of the Grand Mosque of Paris, however, questioned these anti-Semitic acts recorded in France.
“Where are these 1,200 or so anti-Semitic acts that there are in France?” he asked Apolline de Malherbe, seeming to cast doubt on their number. “I am not saying that the figures are false, but they are not revealed, apparent,” continued Abdelali Mamoun. And to elaborate: “I would have liked it to be said that such a synagogue or such and such a cemetery was desecrated, that such and such an individual of Jewish faith was attacked or suffered threats.” The imam then asked for “concrete elements”.
Words which did not fail to make Gérald Darmanin react. On “totally reproves” them. While the Grand Mosque of Paris quickly dissociated itself from its imam, Gérald Darmanin thanked this reaction, before listing in detail the anti-religious acts known to the Ministry of the Interior and recorded since the beginning of the year, as well as their exact nature and the list of the most affected departments.
Thus, “1,762 anti-Semitic acts, 564 anti-Christian acts and 131 anti-Muslim acts” would have been recorded to date in 2023 by the ministry. Concerning the anti-Semitic acts mentioned, it would be, again according to the Minister of the Interior, “50% of tags, posters, banners (including “deaths to Jews”, swastikas, etc.)”, for 22 % of threats and insults, for 10% of apologizing for terrorism, for 8% of attacks on property, for 6% of suspicious behavior, for 2% of assault and battery and for 2% of attacks on community places.
Paris is, by far, the most affected department, with 11% of the incidents recorded having been committed there. Then come the Rhône and Hauts-de-Seine (5% for each of them), then Bouches-du-Rhône, Alpes-Maritimes and Seine-Saint-Denis (4% for each of them) . Affirming also that 8,952 reports of calling for hatred online were also counted, Gérald Darmanin concluded his message by inviting “everyone to file a complaint if they are aware of or are the victim of an anti-religious act”.
