Yes arson but just as likely just nutters rather than religious extremists. It contains the tomb of Louis Juchault de Lamoricière a former Captain of the French Algerian Zouaves and for a short time a French Governor-general of Algeria so it might also even be something to do with the anti-colonial memorials thing going on at the moment. Noting per
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algeri...use_of_torture "Torture was a frequent process in use from the beginning of the colonization of Algeria [by France] which started in 1830" there is till some strong feeling about this from modern day Algerians living in France. Per
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algerians_in_France
Quote:
|
People of Algerian origin account for a large sector of the total population in France. Some immigrated during colonial rule in Algeria starting in the 1920s, and large numbers chose to emigrate to France from the 1960s onwards due to political turmoil in Algeria.
|
https://www.france24.com/en/20200718...city-of-nantes
Quote:
French authorities opened a criminal investigation into a major fire that broke out in the cathedral in the western French city of Nantes on Saturday. The blaze blew out stained glass windows and destroyed the grand organ in the 15th-century building.
Prosecutor Pierre Sennes told reporters three fires had been started at the site and authorities were treating the incident as a criminal act. He gave no other details.
Dozens of firefighters brought the fire under control after several hours. Smoke was still coming out of the Gothic structure after massive flames earlier engulfed the inside.
The Nantes blaze comes just over a year after a major fire at the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, which destroyed its roof and main spire.
Local fire chief Laurent Ferlay told reporters 104 firefighters were still at the site to ensure the blaze was completely under control.
The fire had broken out behind the grand organ, which was completely destroyed, he said. Stained glass windows at the front of the cathedral were blown out.
However, the damage was not as bad as initially feared.
"We are not in a Notre-Dame de Paris scenario. The roof has not been touched," Ferlay said.
It was not the first time fire has damaged the cathedral.
It was partly destroyed during World War Two in 1944 after Allied bombings. In 1972 a fire completely ravaged its roof. It was finally rebuilt 13 years later with a concrete structure replacing the ancient wooden roof.
Daily newsletter
Receive essential international news every morning
Subscribe
"The fire of 1972 is in our minds, but at this stage the situation is not comparable," Nantes Mayor Johanna Rolland told reporters.
Cecile Renaud, who works in a bakery facing the cathedral and alerted the fire services early on Saturday, told BFM TV she had seen huge flames inside the building.
"It was a huge shock. It's extremely sad."
In 2015, a fire that appeared to have been caused by renovation work destroyed most of the roof of another church in Nantes, the Saint-Donatien Basilica.
|