“This is a regrettable first,” the chief executive of operator Aeroports de Paris (ADP), Augustin de Romanet, wrote on X. “Dedicated places of worship exist,” he added.
“The border police have been instructed to prohibit this and will increase their vigilance.”
De Romanet also warned against exaggerating the incident “at this time”, in an apparent allusion to the war between Israel and Hamas.
The picture was notably shared on social media by Noelle Lenoir, a former European affairs minister under right-wing president Jacques Chirac.
“What does the CEO of Aeroports de Paris do when his airport is transformed into a mosque? Is the change in status official?” she asked sarcastically.
PLACES OF WORSHIP AT AIRPORT
“There are specially dedicated places of worship at the airport,” said ruling party MP Astrid Panosyan-Bouvet, adding that the authorities had to implement “the rules that prevail in France, including at the airports”.
However Luc Carvounas, the Socialist mayor of Alfortville outside Paris accused Panosyan-Bouvet of “clumsy comments that could be compared to Islamophobia” and called on her to “clarify her remarks or even apologise”.
Source: CNA
