French police stop Facebook call to cut Muslims' throats

French police are trying to track down the instigator of a Facebook page that called on people to cut the throats of Muslims on the Eid Al-Adha holiday. The page has been closed down but its author is being sought for breaking anti-racist laws.

Reuters/Vincent Kessler

Spotted by the Collective against Islamophobia, the page, reproduced on the collective's website, was headlined “Cut Muslims’ throats, not sheep’s”.

It called on people all over the world to turn to Islamophobic murder on 6 November, the date of Eid Al-Adha which marks the end of the Haj, the piligrimage to Mecca which is one of the obligations of a good Muslim.

During the festivities Muslims sacrifice sheep in honour of Abraham, regarded as a prophet by Islam, Judaism and Christianity, to mark the biblical story of his willingness to sacrifice his son, Isaac, and the Angel Gabriel’s offer of a sheep as a substitute.

“At last we will be able to celebrate for a good reason,” the page declared.

The police have declared the page’s message “despicable words which are actionable under law”.