At least nine pigs' heads found outside mosques in Paris region

"At least nine pigs' heads were found outside several mosques in the Paris region on Tuesday, the city's police chief said, prompting alarm over rising anti-Muslim hatred. Pigs' heads have been left in front of certain mosques ... Four in Paris and five in the inner suburbs, Laurent Nunez told a press conference, adding that officers were not ruling out the possibility of finding more. Police have opened an investigation into incitement to hatred aggravated by racial or religious discrimination, Nunez said, calling the acts despicable."

"Several of the heads had the surname of President Emmanuel Macron scrawled on them in blue ink, the Paris prosecutor's office said. Nunez said there could be parallels with past incidents linked to foreign interference but urged extreme caution. In early June, three Serbs were charged over the vandalism of Jewish sites in a case investigators suspect was backed by Russia."

"France is home to the largest Muslim community in the EU, as well as the largest Jewish population outside Israel and the US. Several EU nations have reported a rise in anti-Muslim hatred and antisemitism since the Gaza war started in October 2023, according to the EU agency for fundamental rights. Anti-Muslim incidents in France rose by 75% between January and May 2025 compared with a year earlier, with attacks on individuals tripling, the interior ministry said in July."

Nine pigs' heads were discovered outside mosques across Paris and its inner suburbs, triggering a police probe into incitement to hatred aggravated by racial or religious discrimination. Some of the severed heads bore President Emmanuel Macron's surname written in blue ink. Authorities noted possible parallels with earlier incidents involving suspected foreign interference, while cautioning against premature conclusions. France hosts the EU's largest Muslim community and a substantial Jewish population, and has seen sharp increases in anti-Muslim incidents in 2025. Political and community figures condemned the acts, legal steps were taken, and national leaders engaged with Muslim community representatives.

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