Orléans launches hate crime investigation over Islamophobic and neo-Nazi stickers

The public prosecutor in Orléans, Emmanuelle Bochenek-Puren, announced late Thursday afternoon that an investigation has been opened into «incitement to hatred based on religion».

As reported by AFP, the judicial inquiry follows the discovery of stickers bearing Islamophobic and anti-leftist messages in the city center and on the university campus. The materials featured neo-Nazi and far-right references. The investigation is being handled by the judicial police, as several organizations have already expressed their intent to file legal complaints on similar grounds. Earlier in the day, the Licra (League Against Racism and Antisemitism) in Loiret and the University of Orléans announced they would be filing complaints.

On Wednesday, Orléans City Hall stated it would use surveillance footage to help identify those responsible. The stickers, which featured symbols referencing Nazism and identitarian ideology, were reportedly sold through an online store—now inaccessible—believed to be operated by a company based in Normandy. According to Actu.fr, «The individual behind the store is a man living in Eure, who registered the business last year and was convicted this Tuesday by the Évreux court for public incitement to hatred».

On Thursday morning, another sticker was found in downtown Orléans, this time targeting the LGBTQ+ community and referencing Marshal Pétain. The prefect of Loiret and Centre-Val de Loire, Sophie Brocas, has referred the case to the public prosecutor.