Worrying rise in Nazi salutes at Besançon museum

A "worrying" increase in Nazi salutes has been observed at the Museum of Resistance and Deportation in Besançon, France, with 10 visitors performing the gesture since the start of the year. This figure is double the five incidents recorded throughout the entirety of 2025, according to municipal and judicial authorities.

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neither trivial provocations nor jokes, but serious behavior, contrary to the law and the democratic pact.

Surveillance cameras captured individuals making the Nazi salute, consistently in the same room and in front of a large Nazi flag. Christine Werthe, the deputy mayor responsible for tourism and heritage, described the behavior as "serious, contrary to the law and the democratic pact," dismissing suggestions that they were mere pranks.

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The city will systematically file complaints against the perpetrators of such acts, whether they are adults or minors. Zero tolerance.

The city has pledged to systematically file complaints against all perpetrators, regardless of age. Werthe expressed regret that some young people engage in such acts without fully grasping their implications. While she speculated about a potential "TikTok challenge" influencing these incidents, the public prosecutor's office has not confirmed this, as it did not emerge during interrogations.

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They indicated they wanted to 'make people laugh' without imagining the scope of their gesture or the consequences.

Some individuals involved claimed they were trying to "make people laugh" and did not anticipate the consequences. Others reportedly cried during questioning upon realizing the severity of their actions. Nine complaints have been filed this year, compared to two in 2025. The cases involve four minors on a school trip, a father, and several young men, none of whom have shown any signs of radicalization or affiliation with neo-Nazi ideology.

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Some even cried during their hearing when they realized the seriousness of the facts.