France investigates minors for terrorist glorification in church and school incidents

Authorities in France are investigating two separate incidents involving the glorification of terrorism by minors.

In the Vendée region, the Saint-Hilaire church in Soullans was profaned by a group of adolescents. Video footage shared on social media shows the group vandalizing furniture and playing a rap song by artist BORO700. The lyrics explicitly reference terrorists Mohamed Merah and Salah Abdeslam, as well as the Bataclan attacks. The Diocese of Luçon has condemned the act as a “serious attack on a place of worship” and has closed the church indefinitely. Local authorities have filed a formal complaint regarding the desecration and material damage.

In a separate incident in the Loiret department, three minors were taken into custody in Orléans following a video filmed at the François Villon high school in Beaugency. The footage shows students chanting lyrics that reference the same terrorists, Merah and Abdeslam. The Orléans prosecutor's office has opened a preliminary inquiry into the “public glorification of terrorism.” The investigation was prompted after European Parliament member Matthieu Valet flagged the video on social media.