Reaction to North African youth throwing stones during Mass at Catholic congregation

Carcassonne: jets de cailloux sur des fidèles, l'évêché minimise, pas le FN - Le Point:

Several teenagers threw stones at worshippers at a church in a sensitive area of Carcassonne on Saturday night, causing no injuries or damage, an event described as "stupid, annoying, but not serious" by the bishopric, but strongly denounced by Front National on Monday.

"Four youths, aged 14 to 18, broke into the Church of St. Joseph, before launching handfuls of stones at the 150 faithful present at the Office", the local newspaper Midi Libre reported on Sunday, adding: "The parishioners, many of whom are elderly, have been greatly shocked by the actions of the disrespectful youth of North African origin".

"We denounce an act of stupid teenagers which annoying but not serious", the head of communications of the Diocese of Aude Sarah Jaffe told the AFP who refuses to use the term "stoning" used in the local press.

"We wish to avoid any confusion or association" related to the apparent ethnicity of the young troublemakers, she said stressing the "very good relations (of the church) with the Muslim community".

The same source estimated that the parish priest Father Bruno Garrouste would not make a complaint to the police, even if the faithful had filed a complaint to the police on the night of the actions.

However the federal secretary of the Front National in the Aude, Robert Morio denounced "the attack on the Church of St. Joseph of Carcassonne (...) by North Africans" in a statement Monday on the internet.

"This premeditated act, which has fortunately caused no injuries, is an act of hatred and pressure on the Catholics of this neighborhood," he said.

The event reported by the Midi Libre on Monday was denounced by many radical Catholic sites , that of "Secular Riposte" and on the blogs of several candidates of the Front National in the national elections, whose lawyer Gilbert Collard is a candidate in the Gard.