Vaccine centre in France vandalised with symbols of French Resistance

Health minister and town mayor condemn attack in Lans-en-Vercors

A Covid vaccination centre in France has been vandalised with symbols of the Resistance movement from the Second World War.

Vandals broke into the town hall in Lans-en-Vercors, near the city of Grenoble in southeastern France, on Friday night.

The intruders let off the fire hoses, flooding the centre, and ransacked furniture storing syringes, bandages and other medical equipment.

Graffiti was left on the windows of the centre and on the nearby tourist office. The tags included "Vaccine = genocide", "1940" and a Liberation Cross of Lorraine, which was used as a symbol of the French Resistance. The area of Vercors was a base for the Maquis during the Nazi occupation.

Health minister Olivier Veran was among those to condemn the attack.

"Ransacking a vaccination center says everything about the real motivation of the perpetrators, who will be prosecuted," he said.

Michael Kraemer, the mayor of Lans-en-Vercors, said the vandalism showed "a lack of culture and respect for the history of Vercors".

The local government department said in a statement it had opened another vaccine centre within hours of the attack and would be able to honour all today's appointments.

Police are investigating the attack.

On Saturday thousands of people continued to protest against President Emmanuel Macron's plans for compulsory vaccination of health workers and the provision of a Covid certificate for entry to places such as bars, restaurants and cinemas.

Demonstrators say the measures will deny freedom of choice to those who do not want the vaccination.