Police officers asked school heads in Toulouse by email to tell them the number of students absent on the day of Eid al-Fitr. The Ministry of the Interior confirms this request, but denies any "carding" of students according to their religious affiliation.
"This request for evaluation infringes on religious freedom and once again casts opprobrium on Muslims in France," says Rector of the Great Mosque of Paris, Chems-eddine Hafiz. "Yes, the request may have been formulated in a clumsy way. But no, asking for general information about the impact of religious holidays does not mean any aggressive intentions towards any religion," says the Secretary of State for Citizenship.