Anti-Muslim Violence in France Jumps 75% as Attacks Grow More Violent

France has seen a sharp spike in anti-Muslim incidents in the first five months of 2025, with reported Islamophobic acts rising by 75% compared to the same period last year, according to new data released by the French Interior Ministry.

Between January and May, authorities recorded 145 anti-Muslim acts — up from 83 in 2024.

Most alarming, the majority of these were physical assaults, with 99 incidents directly targeting individuals, a threefold increase from just 32 cases during the same period last year.

The shift signals a troubling trend: Islamophobic acts are increasingly violent, moving beyond vandalism or verbal abuse to physical attacks that now make up over two-thirds of all reported cases.

The escalating hostility hit a tragic peak in April when Aboubakar Cissé, a young man of Malian origin, was killed inside a mosque in southern France.

His death sent shockwaves across the country and drew attention to the growing vulnerability of Muslim communities.

On June 29, the El Hidaya Mosque in Roussillon became the latest site of vandalism — one of several incidents underscoring the rising threat faced by France’s nearly 9% Muslim population.

Other religious communities are also facing heightened risk. While antisemitic incidents have decreased from last year’s peak, the Interior Ministry still logged 504 cases in the first five months of 2025 — a drop from 662 in 2024, but a staggering 134% increase compared to 2023. Most incidents — 64% — involved attacks on individuals.

Christians, too, have been targeted. Anti-Christian acts rose 13%, from 284 to 322. Most involved vandalism of churches and religious sites, but violence against individuals nearly doubled, with 51 reported cases so far this year.

France is home to Europe’s largest Jewish population—around half a million—and a significant Muslim community.

Though these groups make up a relatively small percentage of the national population, the scale of targeted violence against them is disproportionately high.

The Interior Ministry described the figures as evidence of a “very high level” of religiously motivated hostility. In response, religious leaders and civil society advocates are calling for urgent measures to strengthen protections, combat prejudice, and reaffirm France’s commitment to equality for all citizens.