World
French police officer injured in synagogue arson attack
A police officer who was at the synagogue was injured when a gas cylinder allegedly exploded in a parked car, local media reported.
Two cars parked at the Beth Yaacov synagogue in the seaside resort town of La Grande Motte near Montpellier were set ablaze on Saturday morning, injuring a police officer, according to French media reports.
He was injured when a gas cylinder allegedly exploded in one of the cars, local media reported.
The Ministry of Justice said there had been five people, including the rabbi, inside the synagogue at the time of the attack, but none of them were hurt.
France’s acting interior minister quickly ordered police reinforcements to protect Jewish places of worship across the country.
In a post on Saturday morning interior minister Gérald Damarnin said:
“An attempted arson attack, clearly criminal, hit the synagogue of La Grande Motte this morning. I want to assure our Jewish fellow citizens and the municipality of my full support.”
There’s been a surge of antisemitism in France – and many other countries – since the start of the Israel-Hamas war last year.
Darmanin is expected to travel to Le Grand Motte later on Saturday along with France’s acting Prime Minister Gabriel Attal.