Overview

• On the night of June 1, a 27-year-old man entered the Errahma mosque, stole a copy of the Quran and set it ablaze outside the prayer hall.
• Police arrested the suspect on June 3 in Villeurbanne and he admitted to the act while in custody.
• The man is described as psychologically fragile, placed under curatorship and has a history of psychiatric hospitalizations.
• Community and political leaders condemned the incident as an Islamophobic act and the Conseil des Mosquées du Rhône called for exemplary prosecutions.
• Mosques in Villeurbanne have introduced volunteer security checks before prayers and the Interior Ministry reported a 72% rise in anti-Muslim acts in early 2025.