A police officer was injured in an explosion in a synagogue in southern France during the morning.
The incident is being investigated as a terrorist offence.
– Everything is being done to find the perpetrator behind this terrorist act, says President Emmanuel Macron, according to Le Figaro.
The explosion was caused by two cars that were set on fire outside the synagogue in the town of La Motte near Montpellier.
The incident is now being investigated as an act of terrorism, according to French authorities. Yonathan Arfi, president of the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions in France (CRIF), condemned what he calls “an attempt to kill Jews”.
Rising anti-Semitism in France
“I have been informed that the National Anti-Terrorism Prosecuting Authority has taken over the investigation. The security forces are currently searching for the suspect,” he writes on X.
France has been hit hard by anti-Semitic acts recently. According to French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin, 887 actions took place in the first half of 2024 – three times more than in the same period last year.
Macron: “An ongoing battle”
Darmanin has ordered reinforcements to protect Jewish buildings after this morning’s incident.
“I want to assure our Jewish citizens and the municipality that you have all my support and, on behalf of President Emmanuel Macron, I can say that all means are being made available to find the perpetrator,” he writes.
President Emmanuel Macron also condemns the act.
– The fight against anti-Semitism is an ongoing battle, he says Le Figaro.