A case of vandalism has been reported at a Muslim cemetery in Puy-en-Vau, France, prompting an investigation by local police. Authorities say the incident reflects a growing trend of anti-Muslim acts in the country.
According to the French newspaper Le Parisien, nine graves were damaged. Initial reports suggest the vandalism occurred about a week before it was discovered. A man visiting his father’s grave noticed the desecration, which also affected his own family’s plot. He filed a complaint with authorities, leading to the ongoing investigation.
The attack is the latest in a series targeting Muslim sites in France, where both cemeteries and mosques have faced increasing vandalism in recent years. Muslim burial grounds in cities such as Moulins have been defaced, and some mosques have been marked with symbols like the Cross of Lorraine painted in red.
French authorities have acknowledged a sharp rise in anti-Muslim incidents. Data from the Interior Ministry shows such acts increased by 75% in the first five months of 2025 compared with the same period in 2024. Between January and May 2025, 145 incidents were recorded, up from 83 during the same months in 2024.
Most of these incidents involved direct attacks on individuals. Nearly 100 cases were reported in early 2025 — more than triple the number during the same period the previous year — accounting for over two-thirds of all reported anti-Muslim acts.
The rise in attacks has heightened fear within France’s Muslim community, already shaken by high-profile incidents. Among them was the killing of Aboubakar Cissé, a young Malian man who was fatally attacked inside a mosque in southern France last year, an event that sparked nationwide concern about safety in places of worship.
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