Over 100 Jewish graves defaced with Nazi swastikas in France

Nearly 100 Jewish graves have been defaced with Nazi swastikas in an antisemitic attack in France. In the town of Westhoffen, near Strasbourg, the graves were seen spray-painted with the inscriptions on December 3. This was also a day after a similar incident took place in the nearby village of Schafhouse-sur-Zorn. The vandals are seen attacking Jewish graves after French President Emmanuel Macron said that the country would keep fighting such anti-semitism 'until our dead can sleep in peace'. France is currently home to nearly 550,000 members of the Jewish community which is also the largest in Europe. 

French President had tweeted in favour of the community and said “Jews are and make France. Anti-semitism is a crime and we will fight it”. 

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Several anti-semitic acts in recent months

The northeastern Alsace region of France has been reported with several anti-semitic acts in recent months. Chief Rabbi Haïm Korsia said that he was 'outraged and horrified' to know that yet another cemetery has been desecrated in Alsace. Along with the swastikas, the number 14 was used which indicates a white supremacist slogan. In order to support the Jewish community, Jean-Luc Marx, the prefect of the Bas-Rhin region also reportedly visited the site. The graves of the cemetery which were defaced have nearly 700 tombstones. Some of the Jewish graves in Westhoffen are also related to first Jewish leader of France, former Prime Minister Léon Blum. 

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According to the Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said on December 4 said that the vandalism was a symbol of 'pure hatred' and even announced a new task force against anti-semitism. French PM, Edouard Philippe wants that the perpetrators who attacked the Jewish graves must be found and punished. Just last month, more than 80 graves were vandalised at a Jewish cemetery in the western Danish town of Randers. The gravestones were daubed with green graffiti and some were overturned at the Ostre Kirkegard cemetery, according to a police statement. There were no words or symbols written on them added police spokesman Bo Christensen to a local news agency. A complaint was registered by the Police following the incident. 

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