After the skirmishes on Wednesday evening in the Arnaud-Bernard district, the locals denounce recurrent disturbances. The "mosque" which has been called "secret" defends itself.

The situation was very tense on Wednesday evening in the Arnaud-Bernard district of Toulouse. In the skirmishes, starting at 8.30 pm, police officers confronted a group of hostile persons.

According to the neighbours, the presence of the police officers close to the "secret mosque" at 5 rue de l’Hirondelle, set the powder alight. "A police officer approached the mosque and someone at the end of the street shouted 'You're not touching the mosque'. It all kicked off then, said a local. People arrived from everywhere. The first picked up a big stone. Another said to the police, 'Go on, beat me.'" Insults rang out.

On 11 January, the cultural association of the Muslims of Arnaud-Bernard set up in these premises, a former shop. Since then, locals have continually complained about disturbances. Police, noise complaint office ... there are constant reports of problems. It was in this context that the police were patrolling on foot on Wednesday evening in this street but also throughout the district. "No street was targeted in particular", the national police explained yesterday. "We were patrolling because noise complaints or wild parking had been reported to us."

For the neighbours, the situation is unbearable. "At 4 am then at noon, 2 pm, 6 pm and when the fast ends, we hear 35 to 40 people praying in unison. In addition to the noise, we're worried about the safety of this building."

On Wednesday, the situation degenerated and the police had to "make use of the force that was strictly necessary" including tear gas, an official explains, in order to drive back vindictive individuals. According to the police HQ, "two officers who were patrolling in the sector were attacked in the street by certain individuals. The precise connection with a place of worship in the vicinity remains to be established. Once the individuals had demonstrated their aggressiveness, arrests took place, which occasioned disruptions to public order". A judicial inquest is underway.