A total of 1,518 “anti-Semitic acts and statements” have been recorded in France since the Israel-Hamas war broke out on October 7, Interior Minister Gérald Darmanen said today.

This number is three times higher than the number of anti-Semitic acts or words recorded during all of 2022when they totaled 436.

These actions had results “571 arrests”, clarified by the environment of the minister.

“Additionally there were anti-Muslim acts, but not on the scale we know of anti-Semitism.”Darmanen added in his statements to the radio station Europe 1.

There are “mosques receiving letters with death threats, threats of attack, too many anti-Islamic statements, including on TV sets,” he also noted, adding that appeals have been made to Arcom, the broadcasting watchdog, or to the courts.

A total of 330 investigations into anti-Semitic acts and terrorism have been opened since October 7. moreover, the competent authorities informed AFP yesterday.

Asked by radio station RMC, Abdelali Mamoun, an imam at the Grand Mosque in Paris, asked “where are” the approximately 1,500 “anti-Semitic acts committed in France?”.

“I would love for them to be revealed to show solidarity” to the Jews of France, he continued.

“I’m not saying the numbers are fake, but they’re not revealed, they’re not learned”the imam noted, saying he doesn’t want “proofs,” but “evidence,” such as “such and such a synagogue was desecrated, such and such a cemetery was desecrated, such and such a Jewish believer was attacked or verbally threatened.”

When asked if he has “any doubt” that these facts are true, the imam replied “no”, adding that “in order to sensitize the Muslims of France on this issue, let’s not limit ourselves to numbers that are announced”.

Demonstrations against anti-Semitism drew more than 180,000 people on Sunday in France, the 105,000 in Paris. France has the largest Jewish community in Europe, as well as millions of Muslims.