In La Grand-Combe, southeastern France, 22-year-old Aboubakar Cissé was brutally stabbed while praying in a mosque. The suspect, Olivier A., filmed the attack and shouted anti-Islamic insults before fleeing to Italy, where he surrendered to police. French Muslim leaders have condemned the act as Islamophobic and criticized authorities for not initiating an anti-terrorism investigation. President Emmanuel Macron stated that religious hatred has no place in France.
The incident has sparked nationwide protests against Islamophobia and calls for increased security at mosques. Over 1,000 people marched silently in La Grand-Combe in memory of Cissé. The French government has responded by ordering heightened security measures for mosques across the country.
