Some time in the early afternoon of November 25th, unknown perpetrators started a fire inside the church of Zuydcoote, overturned chairs and benches, smashed statues onto the floor, and destroyed the tabernacle.
Firefighters were able to extinguish the flames before they could spread further.
For parishioners, the shock was immense. "Nothing was stolen. The goal was to destroy," they said.
French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve has denounced the act and assured that the perpetrators would be brought to justice.
Sources: 20 Minutes and Le Phare Dunkerquois