The inaugural plaque of the stele dedicated to the Righteous Among the Nations in the town of Saint-Raphaël, in the Var, was stolen. The municipality has decided to file a complaint for aggravated theft.
The city of Saint-Raphaël has decided to file a complaint for aggravated theft undermining the honour or reputation of a group of people because of their membership of a particular religion, following the disappearance of the inaugural plaque from the stele dedicated to the Righteous Among the Nations.
It is the highest civilian honor awarded on behalf of the Hebrew state by the Yad Vashem memorial to people who helped Jews during World War II.
“Our town is today affected by a clearly anti-Semitic act which affects the stele dedicated to the Righteous Among the Nations,” wrote the municipality, via a press release consulted by BFM Toulon Var this Wednesday, September 4.
Reinforced municipal police patrols
An investigation has been opened and municipal police patrols will be increased at places of worship and memorials.
“We renew our support and friendship to our fellow citizens of Jewish faith, affected by this act of vandalism,” emphasizes the city hall, which calls for the mobilization of “all investigative means” in order to identify the thieves so that they are “severely punished.”
This theft comes a few weeks after the damage to the monument dedicated to the memory of the Resistance in the town on August 6.
