“The Catholic community is shocked and deeply affected by these acts, which have destroyed signs of the faith,” said Father Carl Bassompierre, the parish priest. He also announced that the community would lodge a complaint.

The mayor of Fontenay-le-Comte issued a statement condemning “in the strongest possible terms these imbecilic and disrespectful acts against this important part of our religious heritage”.

He stated that he had “asked the municipal police, with the assistance of the Gendarmerie Nationale, to do everything in their power to find the perpetrators of these unspeakable acts”.

Source: ouest-france.fr