Protesting Libyans destroy Polish and British war graves

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The systematic desecration of the war graves lasted for two days and was an apparent protest against US soldiers burning the Koran in Afghanistan.

In one section of the video (see below) obtained by the Reuters news agency, a destroyed tombstone of Polish soldiers from the Independent Carpathian Rifle Brigade is shown, who fought in North Africa as part of the allied campaign against Nazi Germany during WW II.

The vandals destroyed over 150 graves in total.

Around 20 armed men are shown in the video damaging the graves and shouting “Christians” and “dogs”.

One of the destroyed graves is that of 24-year-old Corporal Józef Władysław Jaroszewicz, who died in Libya in 1942.

The graves of the British soldiers were from the 8th Army commanded by General Montgomery, who fought in Libya and Egypt in the years 1941 to 1943 against German troops led by General Rommel.

Around 1 214 people, 815 of whom were British, are buried in the war cemetery in Benghazi, the city which first rose up against the regime of Col. Gaddafi. (pg)

Destruction of WW II cemetery