Outrage has erupted in France and Senegal following the desecration of dozens of grave plaques belonging to Senegalese Tirailleurs, soldiers who fought for France in World War II. The incident occurred overnight on January 29th at the Tata Sénégalais memorial site in Chasselay, near Lyon.
According to the Rhône prefecture, several tombstones were damaged, and racist graffiti, including references to “voodoo,” were scrawled on the surrounding walls. This act of vandalism has been met with widespread condemnation from officials and civil society.
French President Emmanuel Macron strongly condemned the attack, calling it a “shame” and an “outrage.” He emphasized that “the French people know what they owe to the Tirailleurs Sénégalais who died for France.”
Aïssata Seck, president of the Association for the Memory and History of the Tirailleurs, denounced the incident, stating that “the duty of remembrance is not optional for those who died for our freedom.”
Former Education Minister Pap Ndiaye, of Senegalese descent, expressed his “disgust,” recalling that the soldiers buried in Chasselay were executed by a German Panzer unit in June 1940.
The outrage extended beyond France. In Senegal, government spokesman Moustapha Sarré welcomed President Macron’s condemnation and urged authorities to swiftly identify and prosecute the perpetrators. Abdou Sonko, a deputy representing Senegalese expatriates in Europe, called the desecration an “insult to the entire African community” and a “shameful defilement” of the Tirailleurs’ memory.
The National Office for Veterans and War Victims, backed by Patricia Miralles, France’s Minister for Memory and Veterans Affairs, has filed a complaint with the gendarmerie. An investigation is currently underway.
This act of vandalism has deeply offended the Senegalese community and serves as a stark reminder of the importance of remembering and honoring the sacrifices made by the Tirailleurs in the fight for freedom.
ODL/ac/sf/lb/abj/APA