France: A statue of the Virgin Mary is wantonly destroyed; the mayor points to a “complicated political context”, but without establishing a connection

At the beginning of July, a statue of the Virgin Mary was vandalised in Rabastens (Tarn). An umpteenth case of damage to property in a small community in Occitania. But as so often, it is difficult to impossible to understand the reasons for such an act. (…)

However, he recalls “the complicated political context” in his town and the series of about ten graffiti that the town hall had suffered long before this latest incident. The graffiti were a form of protest against various projects “such as 5G, video protection, the A69 motorway”, he enumerates. However, he stresses that there is no connection between this damage and the sensitive context. (…)

Arrangements are being made to restore the statue, “but it takes time,” the councillor warns. “You can’t clean it with simple cleaning products, you have to hire specialists.” The municipality has already filed a complaint, in addition to the findings already made by the city police. France 3 Régions

https://www.fdesouche.com/2023/07/18/rabastens-81-une-statue-de-la-vierge-marie-vandalisee-le-maire-pointe-sans-pour-autant-faire-le-lien-un-contexte-politique-complique/