Two deputies in charge of a mission on anti-religious acts are worried Thursday, February 10 about a “rise of hatetowards the cults, stirred up by thepolitical speeches» and plead for a better «religious education“.
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Isabelle Florennes (Modem) and Ludovic Mendes (LREM), charged by the Prime Minister at the beginning of December with a mission, made “a waypoint“in front of the press, before the submission of their final report to Matignon”early March“. “There has been a rise in hate for 10 years, which is getting worse, in the quality of the attacks, in the facts and which is getting worse on online hate“said Ludovic Mendes. The two deputies carried out around thirty hearings (representatives of worship, gendarmerie, police, justice, territorial intelligence, Dilcrah, researchers, etc.) and four trips to communities in Strasbourg, Sarcelles, Lyon and Nantes.
1659 anti-religious acts recorded in 2021
After these meetings, the deputies noted, “for each cult auditioned», the description of a «society that is becoming increasingly hateful and violent” towards them. “Complaints are not automatic. We have small aggressions, small daily facts that are permanent“, emphasizes Ludovic Mendes. Many “got used to it. What shocks us is this rise in hatred and violence“, he said, questioning: “how to stop this phenomenon?“He noted in political speeches”a word that has no limit», carried by «hateful little characters“.
According to Isabelle Florennes, citing figures from the Ministry of the Interior, there was “for the year 2021 a total of 1659 anti-religious acts recorded, including 857 anti-Christian acts, 589 anti-Semitic acts and 213 anti-Muslim acts“. According to her, compared to 2019 (the year 2020 not being considered as a reference year, due to the health crisis), the 213 anti-Muslim acts constitute “an increase of 38%“. The other digits show astagnation“. Among the recommendations, Isabelle Florennes would like toencourage reporting“, make known the “local best practices” or “raise awareness» certain devices such as «the 205 delegates of the prosecutor on issues of discrimination and racism» put in place by the Ministry of Justice. Ludovic Mendes judges that there is “a real need for religious education“, pleading for”do not refuse the debate of religions under the guise of secularism within the school“. According to him, “secularism is not “religions, hide””.