France’s La Grande-Motte — Prime Minister Gabriel Attal announced that some 200 police officers were hunting after a guy who attempted to set fire to a synagogue in the southern French city of La Grande-Motte on Saturday. He also threatened to use extreme force against antisemitism.
According to Attal, a petrol bottle burst when police were securing the attack scene on Saturday morning, slightly injuring one of the officers.
After visiting the synagogue, Attal said, “The person (attacker) set fire to several entry doors to the synagogue and several cars,” adding that the prompt arrival of police and firemen barely prevented a “absolute tragedy.”
Prior to this, local media stated that at about 8:30 a.m. (0630 GMT), the suspect had set fire to two automobiles in the synagogue’s parking lot, one of which had at least one petrol bottle.
The event was referred to as a terrorist act by President Emmanuel Macron. The inquiry was turned over to the office of the anti-terrorism prosecutor.
The government said that police security of synagogues, as well as Jewish schools and businesses, would be increased across France.
Like other European nations, France has seen an increase in antisemitic events in the wake of Israel’s military offensive on Gaza and Hamas’s assaults on Israel on October 7.
Le Parisien, franceinfo, and other media outlets said that the suspect was spotted on security camera footage just before to the assault, with a Palestinian flag around his waist.
“This is a Jewish-bashing incident. Our Jewish comrades are being attacked once again,” Attal had previously written on X. “We shall never allow ourselves to be intimidated by acts of violence or antisemitism.”
Police refused to provide more information.
Yonathan Arfi, the head of the CRIF, a coalition of French Jewish organisations, said on X that “exploding a petrol bottle in a car in front of the Grande Motte synagogue at the expected time of arrival of the faithful: it’s not just attacking a place of worship, it’s an attempt to kill Jews.”
Located on the French Mediterranean coast lies the port and resort city of La Grande-Motte.
