French police are investigating a series of Islamophobic attacks after pig heads was found targeting Muslim places of worship in different parts of the country. These incidents, which have become a recurring feature of rising anti-Muslim sentiment in France, have drawn sharp condemnation from government officials and community leaders.

According to the city’s police chief Laurent Nunez on X, “Every effort is being made to find the perpetrators of these despicable acts,

The heads were discovered on public roads in Paris and two nearby areas outside the city, a source close to the investigation told AFP.

Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau condemned the acts, calling them “outrageous” and “absolutely unacceptable”.

“I want our Muslim compatriots to be able to practice their faith in peace,” he said.

France is home to the largest Muslim community in the European Union, as well as the largest Jewish population outside Israel and the United States.

Several EU nations have reported a spike in “anti-Muslim hatred” and “anti-Semitism” since the Gaza war started in October 2023, according to the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights.