France: 80 Islamophobic acts in 2008

France: 80 Islamophobic acts in 2008

The Association against Islamophobia in France (Le Collectif contre l'islamophobie en France, CCIF) announced today it recorded 80 Islamophobic acts in 2008, of which 59 are against people and 21 against property (mosques, cemeteries, societies).  The CCIF said in a press conference there was an increase in Islamophobic acts in 2008, without bringing any comparison data with last year.

Concerning the acts against people, it concerns in particular discrimination in government hiring, at work, but rarely physicla violence. Two thirds (67%) were in the Paris region.

As for damage against property, the CCIF reports eight attacks against mosques, four desecrations of cemeteries, including that of the Notre-Dame de Lorette in Arras where 500 graves were covered with inscriptions insulting Islam.

The CCIF was created 5 years ago to reduce Islamophobia and racism.  Islamphobia and racism. It records Islamophobic acts, aids victims and possibly takes legal steps.

Notably, it appealed to the High Authority for the Struggle Against Discrimination and for Equality on the prohibition against having veiled mothers accompany school field trips and is pleased having enabled veiled women to sign up to vocational training centers.

Source: Le Figaro (French)

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