A Holocaust memorial in Lyon, France, was defaced with the words “Free Gaza,” local officials confirmed to AFP on Saturday.

The Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of eastern France, which includes Lyon, in a statement “strongly” condemned the vandalism, while expressing its “full support to the Jewish community” in the city.

“Nothing justifies this shameful act targeting this place of remembrance, inaugurated earlier this year,” added the region’s prefect, which is the French state’s top representative in the area.

The memorial was inaugurated in January to mark 80 years since the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration and extermination camp. In a picture shared with AFP , “Free Gaza” appeared to have been scratched into the marble of the memorial plaque with a sharp object.

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