The French Institute, a major cultural hub in Ouagadougou, has been vandalized by protesters in Burkina Faso.
Windows and doors were broken, security guards’ room was set on fire, computer equipment were burnt and looted after the attack on October 12, 2022.
The French Institute was attacked after the coup in early October, that ousted Burkina Faso’s Lieutenant-Colonel Paul-Henri Damiba, who had seized power only in January 2022.
Employees and artists of the French Institute in Ouagadougou have reacted to the destruction of the cultural complex.
Artist Kantala laments the destruction, saying that the arson will “set us back a bit”. “People don’t know, but the French Institute welcomes more Burkinabè artists than foreign artists […] it’s for Burkina so let’s not confuse politics and culture” he added.