A “disturbing” upsurge in Nazi salutes at the Resistance Museum in Besançon

A resurgence “worrying” incidents have been noted at the Museum of Resistance and Deportation in Besançon, where 10 visitors have performed a Nazi salute since the start of the year, compared to 5 for the whole of 2025, we learned on Wednesday from the municipality and the public prosecutor’s office. Filmed by the establishment’s video surveillance cameras, people “do it Nazi salute always in the same room, in front of a large Nazi flag »deplored to AFP Christine Werthe, deputy mayor (LR) in charge of tourist heritage and the Citadel, where this museum is located.

As reported by the regional daily The Republican East , These facts were raised last week in the municipal council, where all political groups unanimously denounced them. For Christine Werthe, it is not a question “neither harmless provocations, nor jokes”but of behaviors “serious, contrary to the law and the democratic pact”. “The city will systematically file complaints against the perpetrators of such acts, whether they are adults or minors. Zero tolerance »insisted the elected official, regretting that some young people “have fun without being aware of what they are doing”.

“Make people laugh”

The perpetrators of these actions “indicated that they wanted to “make people laugh” without imagining the scope of their gesture or the consequences”confirmed to AFP the deputy prosecutor Isabelle Rollet. “Some even cried during their hearing when they realized the seriousness of the facts”she added.

Nine complaints have been filed since the start of the year, compared to two in 2025, according to the magistrate. “One procedure concerns four minors visiting the museum with their class, a father and, for the rest, young men. Among these people arrested, none have a radicalized profile or proximity to neo-Nazi ideology”she detailed.

While Christine Werthe said she wondered about the existence of a possible “the TikTok challenge” on the internet, the representative of the prosecution did not confirm it: this lead “did not emerge from the hearing of any defendant”according to her. For the moment, legal action has been taken in two cases: one of the accused, who apologized and admitted the facts, will have to complete a citizenship training course, and another benefited from a dismissal of proceedings due to his “deficient mental state”.