Video surveillance captured a scene that unfolded very quickly, as Mohammed Meniri, rector of the great mosque of Bondy recounted this Thursday.
"A man arrived on a motorcycle with a helmet and mask, he opened his top case to take some equipment," he says.
It was a silhouette in black, but we see that the individual is determined and to enter, he passed over the gate which must be not far from 3 meters.
"
Using what could be a sports trophy, the author then breaks windows at the front door and the veranda, before leaving.
"We found small debris of marble coming perhaps from the base of a sports cup," says Mohammed Meniri.
It was like a commando operation, this man came in to break and vandalize a symbol.
The damage is mainly moral.
Thank God there were no faithful present at the time of the incident.
"
"A model of living together"
A police investigation was opened and a complaint filed.
"The Bondy mosque is a model of living together in Seine-Saint-Denis, it is the first built in the department, in 2004", continues Mohammed Meniri.
During Friday prayers and on certain feast days, nearly 2,000 believers can meet there.
From the prefect of Seine-Saint-Denis to the Minister of the Interior, the official condemnations published this Thursday afternoon on social networks are unanimous.
"Unacceptable degradations", underlines Gérald Darmanin, concluding with "Support for Muslims in France".
"I am shocked and outraged by this cowardly act and by the fact that we can attack a place of worship", also reacts the mayor (LR) of Bondy, Stephen Hervé.
"It's free and blind, there is nothing to explain, it is the very heart of racism and Islamophobia", judge for his part M'Hammed Henniche, secretary general of the Union of Muslim associations of Seine-Saint-Denis.
