Arson Attack With Burning Vehicle to Saint-Pierre Chanel Church

In the evening of October 3rd, a group of approximately 10 people, dressed in black and masked, set fire to Saint-Pierre Chanel church in Rillieux-la-Pape, close to Lyon. They pushed a car up to the church wall and set it on fire, which blackened the facade and caused damage to offices and meeting rooms. According to mayor Alexandre Vincendet, the same group had set around 10 cars in town on fire that night in a violent raid.
The surge of urban violence left people shocked.
"We were surprised by the events that happened this weekend. Attacking a place of worship is a clash with the Republic," - Minister Darmanin
"When one attacks a place of worship, one attacks the Republic which is the guarantor of freedom of religion", mayor Alexandre Vincendet noted, denouncing the act of "separatism". Since the end of lockdown, there has been a rise in urban violence in Rillieux-la-Pape. The mayor had been asking since June for his town to be added to the QRR (quartier de reconquête républicaine), which is an operation carried out by the PSQ (police de sécurité du quotidien - security police for everyday life) to allocate additional police sources to vulnerable areas. Adapted responses to the perpetrators of urban violence and the use of drones have also been discussed. A citizen consultation will be launched in the city October 12, concerning the topic of "urban rodeos" and public tranquility.
French Minister of the Interior, Gerald Darmanin, stated: "To attack a church, a place of worship, is obviously a shock, a shock against the Republic." He announced the determination of the government against anti-religious acts.
Bishop Michel Dubost, Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Lyon, mentioned that recently, there had been about fifteen events against Catholic churches in the metropolis of Lyon: "Enough! Freedom of conscience and worship is essential. Here the church has been targeted. One does not mount a car like that on the embankment, by chance, under a cross, it seems obvious to me that the church has been targeted. So why now? I don't know why! Rillieux is considered to be a hot spot. It's good to take care of the church. But I think of the whole town. There are people here who are not satisfied with life. There is no explanation for the violence, but we need to talk to each other. There has to be social connection, and politics for renewing the city."
Source: Ouest France, France 3, Domradio, 20 Minutes
Photo by Antoine Pin on Twitter