Graffiti on Holocaust Memorial in Lyon with message "Free Gaza" inscribed

In the heart of Lyon, France, a 3-meter-high Holocaust memorial known as "Les Rails de la mémoire" has become the subject of an ongoing investigation following the discovery of a defacing message on August 30, 2023. The monument, inaugurated near the Lyon-Perrache train station in January 2023, symbolizes the departure point of the deportation convoys and commemorates the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp.

The desecrated monument bore a "Free Gaza" message engraved on a black marble presentation plaque. The defacement, presumed to have occurred in 2011, has been denounced as a "vile act" by Yonathan Arfi, the president of CRIF, and an "intolerable act" by Mayor Gregory Doucet.

The inscription on the monument reads, "In memory of the six million Jews victims of the Shoah, including one and a half million children - 1941-1945 - 6,100 from our region." The desecration of this poignant reminder of the Holocaust has prompted a complaint from the president of the Holocaust Memorial Association, Jean-Olivier Viout.

The prefecture has expressed its determination to identify and arrest the perpetrators, and the mayor of Lyon has stated that the city stands united against hate, anti-Semitism, and racism. Mayor Doucet has also expressed solidarity with memory associations, survivors, and their descendants.

The increase in anti-Semitic acts in France has been noted since the attacks carried out by Hamas against Israel on October 7, 2023, and the launch of the Israeli offensive in Gaza. This unfortunate trend has not gone unnoticed by international figures, with Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gideon Saar, accusing the French government and President Emmanuel Macron of not doing enough against anti-Semitism in France.

On Sunday, Saar wrote on Twitter, urging France to "react!" His call comes as anti-Semitic inscriptions were also discovered on a war memorial and a stele in Bron, in the Lyon metropolitan area. Arfi, the president of CRIF, has stated that the hatred of Israel fuels the hatred of Jews and the Republic.

In response to these incidents, the prefecture, the mayor of Lyon, and the Holocaust Memorial Association have reaffirmed their commitment to combating hate speech and protecting the city's historical and cultural heritage. The desecration of "Les Rails de la mémoire" serves as a stark reminder of the importance of vigilance and unity in the face of intolerance.