The Christmas display in the town hall was removed to "avoid offending Muslims living in the area," resulting in protests and objections from citizens, politicians, and some Muslim activists who said it was absurd to say that Muslims are offended by the birth of Jesus.
Police are investigating acts of vandalism and intentional fires set in the Church of Saint-Blaise and the Church of Saint-Michel.
Unknown perpetrators entered the Orthodox church of the Archangel Michael near Lagoliou, set sacred books on fire in the sanctuary, and sprayed "Allah is great" in Arabic on the walls.
During the children's performance in Schwanenstadt, attended by parents and relatives, a 24-year-old Somali man with a backpack and plastic bag got on stage and began waving the Koran around. When people tried to remove him, he resisted and began shouting "Allah." The police investigated.
During the night of December 17-18th, all of the Christmas decorations installed on a bridge, as well as the handmade wooden crèche arranged at the feet of a statue of the Virgin Mary were thrown into the Seine in Fouchères. A complaint was filed with police.
Rita Maestre had been fined for removing her top inside a chapel during a protest against the "antidemocratic and chauvinistic" positions of the Catholic Church in 2011. On appeal, that decision was reversed as the court found that "inadequate clothing or certain inappropriate gestures" were "disrespectful but not desecration."
Rutumbu Juvenal, the priest in charge of the parish of Palaiseau, was attacked by two armed men on December 16, 2016 at the church's pastoral center.
A parishioner discovered a bomb in a cardboard box against the door of the Saint-André church. Police in Toulouse are investigating and said that the device was capable of a small explosion.
Glass cases protecting sacred statues and images were smashed and the decorative jewels and offerings of the faithful were stolen. Police are investigating the links between this incident and others in the region targeting shrines containing sacred images.
According to the Bishop of Réunion, five churches have been the target of thieves in the preceding three weeks. The most recent was the church of Sainte-Marie, which was ransacked and money and equipment were stolen. A criminal investigation is underway.