Report: Attacks against Muslims rise in France

Charlie Hebdo published a provocative cartoon depicting Maryam Pougetoux as monkey wearing the Muslim headscarf with the caption ‘they chose me to head the UNEF’ (French National Student Union)

Hostilities against Muslims in France have increased including shootings, sexual assaults, arson and the desecration of places of worship during the holy month of Ramadan, the head of the country’s National Observatory Against Islamophobia has said.

Speaking to Algeria’s APS news agency, Abdallah Zakri explained that attacks against Muslims are not new.

The organisation revealed in a report last month that the rate of attacks against Muslims increased by 15 per cent in the period from 1 January to 31 March.

According to the report, as many as 30 hostile acts against the Muslim community have been recorded during that period compared to 26 attacks in the same period last year.

Meanwhile threats against Muslims increased by 138 per cent in the period between 1 January and 31 March compared to the same period last year.

According to the Observatory, as many as ten hostile acts against mosques and religious sites have been recorded since the beginning of this year compared to 18 acts recorded in the same period last year.

READ: Charlie Hebdo joins media campaign against Muslim girl in France

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