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France closes mosque

France Closes Mosque After Imam Used Sermons to Incite Hatred Towards Christians, Gay People, and Jews, and Defend Jihad

France has ordered the closure of a mosque in the north of the country because of the radical nature of its imam's preaching, regional authorities told AFP (Agence France-Presse) on Tuesday, December 28.

The mosque in Beauvais, a town of 50,000 people some 62 miles north of Paris, will remain shut for six months, according to the prefecture of the Oise region where Beauvais is located. It said the sermons there incite hatred, violence and 'defend jihad'.

The move comes two weeks after Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said he had triggered the procedure to close the site because the imam there 'is targeting Christians, homosexuals, and Jews in his sermons. This, the minister said, was 'unacceptable'.

Local authorities were legally bound to launch 10 days of information-gathering before taking action but told AFP on Tuesday that the mosque would now be shut within two days.

A lawyer for the association managing the mosque said that his remarks had been 'taken out of context', and said that the imam had been suspended from his duties following the prefecture's letter.

The French government announced earlier this year that it would step up checks of places of worship and associations suspected of spreading radical Islamic propaganda. (DM / VFI News)

“God, we ask that you rid the world of hate and antisemitism.”