Statue of the Virgin Mary Beheaded and Vandalized

Case information
Incident date
Country
France
Place
Montpezat-de-Quercy
Categories
  • Social Hostility / Intolerance
Attack Against
  • Faith
Perpetrator / Motive Indicators
  • Private
Hate Crime & Violent Incidents
  • Desecration
  • Vandalism (all)
  • Vandalism of Public Christian Symbol
  • Insult or Incitement
  • Intolerance towards Religious Symbols
Religious Freedom / Discrimination
  • Censorship or Removal of Public Christian Symbols
  • Other (text field)
Place of Incident
  • Public Christian Symbol (outside place of worship)
Bias Indicators
  • Comments/Written Statements/Gestures/Graffiti
  • Significance of Property/Structure/Location to religious community
Reported to Police
  • Yes
Response of Local Authorities
  • Investigated
Image credit: Christianophobie

A statue of the Virgin Mary, a replica of the Grotto of Lourdes, was found beheaded on November 2nd in Montpezat-de-Quercy. The investigations showed that the perpetrators also threw stones at the statue, causing the destruction. The mayor and the priests have reported the act to the police.

"The predominant feelings are sadness, misunderstanding and anger. Whatever the reason, nothing justifies such an act, which takes on a particular symbolic dimension in the current context. We have no places of worship of any religion other than Christianity in the village: it is to be hoped that these are only the ravings of young people expressing their unhappiness through incivility, and nothing more." - Gérard Mounié, mayor of Montpezat-de-Quercy

Sources