Charleroi – At least 85 Jewish graves located in the Jewish square of the Marcinelle cemetery (Charleroi) were damaged and Star of David emblems were stolen.
A gravedigger in a cemetery in the Marcinelle neighborhood of the southern city discovered the damage in plots for Jewish tombs yesterday. An investigation has since been opened.
“The place chosen and the theft of many Stars of David leave little doubt about the antisemitic nature of the intentions,” Charleroi mayor Paul Magnette says.
Dans la nuit du 21 au 22 novembre, plus de 85 tombes ont été dégradées dans le carré juif du cimetière de Marcinelle. Le lieu choisi et le vol de nombreuses Etoiles de David laissent peu de doute sur la nature antisémite des intentions. 1/3
— Paul Magnette (@PaulMagnette) November 23, 2023
“In the name of the city, I fully condemn these abject acts,” he adds, saying he has asked the city’s administration to notify each family.
Only the cemetery’s Jewish section was affected, suggesting the antisemitic nature of the vandalism.