On Monday morning, Place de la République and its statue were found covered in swastikas and slogans calling for murder. The vandalism comes the day after a gathering held in tribute to Quentin, a nationalist activist who died in Lyon.
When residents awoke on Monday, February 16, the Statue of the Republic in Paris bore the marks of a night of hatred. Swastikas, calls for violence, and inflammatory slogans defaced the monument erected in 1883, which has long served as a focal point for public demonstrations.
Several swastikas were drawn at its base. Other chilling inscriptions appeared on the pedestal, including: “Death penalty for Jack Lang,” “Kill the Rothschilds,” “German mentality for pedos, kill them,” and “kill kill kill.” The references to Jack Lang, former Minister of Culture and recent resigning head of the Institut du Monde Arabe, and to the Rothschild family clearly targeted the Jewish community.
This surge of graphic violence occurred in a specific context. The day before, Sunday, February 15, a gathering took place outside the Sorbonne University in tribute to Quentin, the 23-year-old nationalist activist who died after what his supporters described as a “lynching” in Lyon on February 12. Demonstrators demanded “justice” for the young man, portrayed by those close to him as “non-violent,” despite his openly expressed political views.
A Context of Rising Antisemitic Tensions
While the Statue of the Republic is frequently targeted during protests, it has also become, since the 2024 legislative elections, a rallying point against the far right. This time, however, the antisemitic tags and swastikas mark a symbolic escalation. According to a November 2025 Ipsos poll, antisemitic acts surged by 1,000 percent in the three months following October 7, 2023. In the first half of 2025, 646 incidents were recorded, representing a 112 percent increase compared to 2023.
“We have already requested that the statue be cleaned,” said Ariel Weil, mayor of Paris Centre. The process can take time, especially if the graffiti exceeds four meters in height, requiring mechanical lifting equipment.
The mayor is working with the Paris police prefecture to identify those responsible using surveillance cameras. “My policy is to file a complaint every time so that once the perpetrators are identified, they can be apprehended,” he explained, noting that legal procedures can sometimes delay cleaning to allow for official documentation.
Weil cautioned against drawing premature conclusions about the perpetrators. “We must be careful not to jump to conclusions. Antisemitic messages exist on both sides. We are in a moment of intense verbal and physical violence, and it is not always clear who is manipulating what.” He referenced past cases of alleged Russian interference, including incidents involving red handprints and Stars of David tagged across Paris.
The repeated vandalism also carries a significant financial cost. Paris Centre reportedly spends around 8 million euros annually to clean monuments and urban infrastructure.
Far-Right Gathering in Ménilmontant
On Sunday evening, near Boulevard de Ménilmontant between the 11th and 20th arrondissements, around fifty masked individuals were seen and filmed performing Nazi salutes. According to reports, they shouted “We are at home” and “Justice for Quentin.” Police sources indicated that the gathering did not result in injuries or arrests, as participants dispersed before officers arrived.
