A vandalized church in Angers, an open investigation
Damage was committed in the Sainte-Madeleine church in Angers (Maine-et-Loire) and an investigation was opened, we learned on Wednesday from concordant sources.
"The Sainte-Madeleine church was savagely vandalized this day", denounced in a press release the mayor of Angers Jean-Marc Verchère (Modem), specifying that "several statues were decapitated, crosses broken and the high altar center ransacked".
The mayor of Angers, who went to the site to ascertain the facts and announced the filing of a complaint, "condemns in the strongest terms this heinous act which affected an important religious and heritage building in our city" .
Mr. Verchère added to support “the parishioners and the Catholic community very affected by these degradations which intervene the day after the Easter celebrations”.
"Inadmissible beheadings of the statues of the Sainte-Madeleine church in Angers. I express my full support for the Catholics of Angevin and France. Everything will be done to challenge the perpetrators of this attack on religious heritage", reacted the Minister of l Interior Gérald Darmanin on Twitter.
Reached by AFP, the public prosecutor of Angers Eric Bouillard indicated that these degradations, "very probably" committed on Wednesday, led to the opening of an investigation. This was entrusted to the departmental directorate of public security (DDSP) with a priority nature "in view of the seriousness of the attack on culture and heritage", according to the magistrate.
He specified that seven statues had been degraded (head or arms cut off), as well as vases and two damaged crosses.
According to a police source, the facts would have been committed "between 10 am and 14 pm".
The Editorial Board (with AFP)
