Quran burned, placed outside mosque in France

A Quran was burned and placed outside a mosque in the southeastern commune of France, the Rhone Mosques Council (CMR) confirmed on Tuesday.

CMR said in a statement that someone entered the prayer room overnight Sunday, set the Muslim holy book on fire and placed it outside the mosque in the Villeurbanne commune before fleeing.

"This vile act is part of a series of hateful assaults that reflect a worrying and increasingly hostile climate towards Muslim citizens in France," said CMR. It said it was "Islamophobic" in nature with "appalling cowardice."

Noting the murder of Aboubakar Cisse who was stabbed to death April 25 while praying at a mosque, and the murder of a Tunisian man who was shot by his neighbor on Saturday, CMR said the burning of the Quran aligned with a "particularly painful context."

"We strongly condemn this heinous desecration, which is a grave violation of the dignity of worshippers and of the fundamental principles of our Republic, foremost among them being freedom of worship," it said.

It urged authorities to identify the perpetrator and initiate "exemplary" legal proceedings.

"Now more than ever, it is our collective responsibility-that of institutions, elected officials, and every citizen-to stand united against all forms of hatred, stigmatization, and violence targeting places of worship and believers, regardless of their faith," CMR added.