Mosques vandalized around France

A fire, probably of criminal origin, broke out briefly Sunday night at a mosque under construction in central France, officials say, the latest in a series of attacks on Muslim targets.

The fire at the mosque in Poitiers was extinguished before firefighters arrived, and according to local officials appeared to be the work of arsonists.

A mosque in the eastern city Aix-les-Bain was seriously damaged by arsonists Thursday night while another fire targeted a mosque in the southwest town of Albi.

In Corsica Friday night, bodies of wild pigs were dumped outside Muslim prayer halls, according to police, and the building housing the island’s main Muslim organization near Ajaccio was painted with the slogan “Arabi fora” (“Arabs out”).

A mosque in the Basque city Bayonne was defaced with green spray-painted racist slogans making reference to the Charlie Hebdo attacks.

The Poitiers mosque has also been attacked by vandals who spray-painted “Death to Arabs” on the gate Thursday. Following Sunday’s fire, the site will be placed under police guard.

— AFP