A 25-year-old man was arrested on Tuesday, October 13, after damaging a statue in the Church of Saint-Henri in Le Creusot (Saône-et-Loire).
According to ‘Creusot Infos’, the man, who is described as being of the Muslim faith, was completely drunk. He is alleged to have knocked over a statue of Saint Joseph before severing its head and displaying it on a bench.
As he left the church, he is said to have harassed several people, particularly young people, before being arrested by the police. Division Commander Arnaud Plantard states that he was previously unknown to the authorities.
The suspect spoke in a manner that was perceived as incoherent and exhibited signs of mental health issues. On the orders of the public prosecutor’s office, he was taken to the Hôtel-Dieu, where he was administered sedatives, and was subsequently due to be admitted to the specialist clinic in Sevrey. The investigation is ongoing.