Anti-Semitic and anti-French graffiti condemned in Corsica

An investigation has been launched following the discovery of anti-Semitic and anti-French graffiti on the main road leading to northern Corsica's Calvi airport.

Anti-Semitic vandalism seen near Calvi airport, in northern Corsica, on 1 January 2024. © Terra Eretz Corsica Israël Association

Written in black letters on signs, walls and pavements at a roundabout leading to the airport, the graffiti included the words "Juive fora", or "Jews out", and "Juive fora FLNC IFF", with the acronyms for the Corsican National Liberation Front (FLNC) and the phrase I Francesi fora, or "the French out".

Calvi town hall has since removed the inscriptions, while an investigation into "damage by inscription" has been handed over to the Corsican gendarmerie.

The graffiti comes as France sees a rise in anti-Semitic acts since the deadly attack on Israel by Hamas on 7 October, and Israel's retaliatory bombing of the Gaza Strip, as well as a recent renewal of the issue of Corsican autonomy.

"Corsica, which has been spared until now, cannot see its image dragged through the mud," the Terra Eretz Corsica Israel non-profit said in a press release.

"These filthy 'tags' written in French raise questions and can only be the work of a few individuals who can in no way claim to be from our island."

Face à la découverte de tags antisémites à Calvi, #FemuACorsica tient à exprimer sa plus vive indignation et sa condamnation nette.

1/3https://t.co/iE7EDzlLex

— Femu a Corsica (@Partitu_FemuAC) January 3, 2024

Several other nationalist movements also condemned the acts of vandalism, including the Corsican Nation Party and Femu a Corsica, the pro-autonomy movement led by Gilles Simeoni, and the president of the Corsican regional government.

"Anti-Semitism, xenophobia and racism will never have a place in the Corsican society we want to build," the group said on X.