A mosque burned down in Lyon, the privileged criminal track

A fire, probably of criminal origin, slightly damaged a prayer room in Lyon on Thursday night. The fire blackened the door of the Essalam prayer hall, located in a small complex of recently renovated social housing in the 2nd arrondissement.

"The fire would seem to be criminal, according to the first information given to me by the firefighters and the police," said the mayor (LR) of the 2nd arrondissement Pierre Olivier. The rapid intervention of the firefighters ensured that there were no victims, he said.

I strongly condemn the burning of the Essalem Mosque in Lyon 2nd - which according to initial evidence - is of criminal origin.

Thank you to the firefighters and police for their rapid intervention. pic.twitter.com/PFx3JSBBWy

The damage was limited to the door and the entrance hall. While a strong smell of burning still hung over the place, two worshipers were clearing the ashes in front of the door. “It's just the door that burned down. Fortunately, the fire did not affect the neighbors above, ”noted Naaman Amaamin, 75, one of the mosque's volunteers.

“The Perrache mosque was the subject of an attempted fire last night. The night criminals are still hard at work. Until when ? », Reacted the rector of the mosque of Lyon, Kamel Kabtane, on Twitter.

The Perrache mosque was the subject of an attempted fire last night. The night criminals are still hard at work. Until when ?

For his part, the general secretary of the mosque, Abderrazak Chenini, announced his intention to file a complaint.

The 2nd fire in a mosque in a week

On Twitter, the Minister of the Interior and Worship, Gérald Darmanin, condemned this new fire attempt in the Lyon area, noting that it was the second in a week. “Anti-Muslim, anti-Semitic, anti-Christian acts: these stupid and hateful acts are contrary to everything France is. I will protect freedom of worship, ”he said.

I condemn the attempted fire last night in the Essalam mosque in Lyon, the 2nd this week. Anti-Muslim, anti-Semitic, anti-Christian acts: these stupid and hateful acts are contrary to everything France is. I will protect freedom of worship.

Already last Friday, a local annex to the prayer room in Bron, in the suburbs of Lyon, had been damaged by a fire probably of criminal origin, according to the prosecution. An investigation for deliberate damage by fire had been entrusted to the departmental security of Lyon.