France: 58 graves are covered in Islamic graffiti at Dordogne cemetery

This isn’t the first instance of pro-islamic graffiti in the area either. I’ll take this from the Daily Mail as it is the first English language report I can find, but I am also getting information from some of the local newspapers. 

Nearly 60 graves in a French cemetery have been covered in Islamic graffiti, including phrases such as ‘Submit to Allah’ and ‘Happy Ramadan, non-Muslims’.

On Monday morning, a total of 58 burial sites in Clermont-d’Excideuil cemetery, in Périgord Vert, Dordogne, were discovered scrawled over in an incident that has left the neighbourhood outraged. Images of the graffiti show Islamic messages written in French sprayed in black and white paint across graves and doors.

The acts of vandalism allegedly occurred over Sunday night, only to be discovered by the Mayor of Clermont d’Excideuil, Claude Eymery, the following morning. Tombs, the war memorial, the church door, a Calvary, and a fountain were covered with inscriptions.

On the side of one grave site, a message written in uppercase reads: ‘France is already Allah’s’.

The word ‘GWER’ can be spotted on at least two tombs – translating from Algerian Arabic to a white person, a Westerner, or a non-Muslim.

The church, located 300 metres from the cemetery, was also made a target with the inscription ‘Ramadan Mubarak’ on its wooden doors.

Mayor Eymery reportedly discovered the vandalised site when we arrived at the cemetery at 8:30am on Monday morning. He immediately called the police and filed a complaint,

The findings immediately sparked a reaction from Jacques-Edouard Andrault, the public prosecutor of Périgueux, who indicated that an investigation for ‘aggravated damage’ had been opened, reported CNews.

According to France Bleu the graffitti is similar to vandalism in neighbouring villages,  Saint-Pantaly-d’Excideuil, Cheveix-Cubas or Coulaures over the last few weeks. They also report the phrases “chiens gwers” ou encore “l’ours musulman se réveille” translating as White dogs and the Muslim bear wakes up. 

The first investigation is now joined to this recent attack and is to be investigated by the Périgueux research brigade, and the gendarmes of Saint-Martial-d’Albarède.

Sud Ouest reports that the prefect of the Dordogne “strongly condemned” this “new act of vandalism” Since the end of December four crosses and a bus shelter have been vandalised with inscriptions refering to Islam.  At the end of February a fifth crossroads cross was found to have been vandalised.