They unite against the increase in hateful acts. Nearly 200 people, anonymous, elected officials and representatives of the main religions, gathered in Lyon on Friday to denounce the recent fire in two Muslim places of worship and to express their solidarity and unity.
This demonstration of support, at the call of the French Council of Muslim Worship (CFCM), was held in front of the Lyon prayer room targeted the day before by a probably arson after another, last Friday in Bron.
"Sad record over the past three weeks"
“Two mosques burned down in the space of a week. A restaurant run by a ransacked Muslim. Several imams and rectors of mosques who received racist messages. Here is the sad record […] of the last three weeks in the metropolis of Lyon, ”lamented Azzedine Gacci, spokesperson for the CTIR, the council of imams of the Rhône, which depends on the Council of Mosques of the Rhône (CMR).
“The CMR expresses its deep concern at the rise of anti-Muslim acts in the Rhône,” he continued, adding that, during a meeting at the prefecture, it was notably decided to equip all the mosques in the Rhône. surveillance cameras or even to organize police rounds around small mosques.
Anti-Muslim acts becoming commonplace
The president of CFCM Mohammed Moussaoui denounced a "culture which allows the trivialization of anti-Muslim acts".
"If we want terrorism to not exist, for fraternity to increase, there must be a link between us", declared Monsignor Michel Dubost, administrator of the diocese of Lyon since the departure of Cardinal Barbarin. . "It is not possible to build a united society against extremists if those who are not are not united," he added.
The former chief rabbi of Lyon Richard Wertenschlag highlighted the “remarkable example” of this city where all the religious dignitaries “meet regularly. We have shared the joys, we also share the sorrows ”.
"Entering a place of worship with fear ..."
“Those who commit this kind of misdeed hope to sow division between us. Our presence today shows that this is in vain because we are united by what is beyond us: our spirituality, ”added Etienne Tissot for the United Protestant Church of Lyon.
Coming out of solidarity, Alahadji, a 22-year-old Lyonnais, underlined the importance "in Islam of being united and of showing that we are united. […] There are quite a few people there. Even non-Muslim people and it shows that everyone supports us, ”he said.
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"We enter with fear into a place of worship when it should be a safe, peaceful place," said another Lyonnais, Adel, 42, for his part.