Muslim graves vandalised in Lausanne
Thirteen graves with tombstones bearing Arabic- or North African-sounding names have been vandalised at the Bois-de-Vaux cemetery in Lausanne. The cemetery is scheduled to inaugurate a special section reserved for Muslim graves in 2016.
The Lausanne police confirmed the acts of vandalism, first reported in the news daily 20 Minutes. Damage discovered by police on Sunday afternoon included painted swastikas, overturned headstones and crushed flowers. An investigation is underway to find who did it.
The graves were targeted based on the names on the headstones, according to a Lausanne police spokesperson. No other signs or symbols indicated that those buried were Muslims.
The place is also close to the special Muslim section that the municipality intends to establish by the beginning of next year, according to councillor Marc Vuilleumier. He added that there could be link between the vandalism and the planned Muslim burial area within the cemetery, but didn’t rule out the role of current international events.
From 2016, the Muslim religious space will accommodate around 350 graves. The burial space will cost CHF1,800 ($1,924) and be valid for 30 years on a renewable basis. Other Swiss cities like Zurich, Basel, Bern and Geneva already have such designated spaces.
In Lausanne, the conservative right Swiss People’s Party had launched a petition against the project on April 10 on the grounds that it went against the integration of the Muslim community.
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