Three words written in capital letters, which form an insult of rare violence.
The inscription “Asshole dirty Arabs” was tagged on a wall of the Arrahma mosque, in the Busserine district of Marseille, our colleagues from France 3 report.
The president of the religious establishment, Abdel Malek Benlahssania, discovered the racist inscription this Monday morning.
He went to file a complaint against X at the police station in the afternoon.
City services then covered the tag using white paint.
“The long list of tagged mosques”
“These tags are in the dustbin of History, where they belong,” criticizes Abdel Malek Benlahssania to BFMTV.
“It’s unfortunate since we ourselves are included in the long list of mosques that have been tagged and insulted,” he adds, hoping that “this will stop.”
“Racism has no place in our city.
I condemn these xenophobic tags in the strongest possible terms.
As soon as we were informed, the city services immediately acted to delete them,” reacted the mayor of Marseille Benoît Payan on X (ex-Twitter).
Racism has no place in our city.
I condemn these xenophobic tags in the strongest possible terms.
⚠️ As soon as we were informed, city services immediately acted to delete them.
https://t.co/XKAthvthYr
— Benoît Payan (@BenoitPayan) January 29, 2024
“At a time when French society is fracturing, we need unity.
These acts of any nature which divide have no place in Marseille,” commented the president of the metropolis Martine Vassal on X.
At a time when French society is fractured, we need unity.
These acts of any nature which divide have no place in Marseille.
https://t.co/tFdqsGECRt
— Martine Vassal (@MartineVassal) January 29, 2024
Inaugurated in May 2023, the Arrahma mosque, in the 14th arrondissement of the Marseille city, welcomes around forty worshipers every day and nearly a thousand on days of major prayer.