Terrorist motive

Arson attack on synagogue in southern France

The police released the image of a suspect, recorded by a surveillance camera.

(Bild: AFP)

On the Jewish day of rest, Shabbat, there was an explosion outside a synagogue in the southern French coastal town of La Grande-Motte. It is said to be a terrorist attack with an anti-Semitic motive and a police officer was injured. 

According to official reports, at least two cars were set on fire outside the Beth Yaacov Synagogue in La Grande-Motte on Saturday morning. When a police officer was called to the scene, a gas canister exploded in one of the cars, according to Mayor Stéphan Rossignol. The police officer was injured. There was initially no information about the nature of the injuries.

According to the investigators, the fire spread to the entrance of the synagogue. The doors of the Jewish place of worship were damaged by the fire.

Surveillance camera image shows suspect
The police released the image of a suspect, recorded by a surveillance camera. The images show a man with empty bottles in his hand and a Palestinian flag around his waist. 

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Fotos

A weapon, which could be a 9 mm pistol, can be seen in one of the images, the statement continued. However, the images are not clear. The suspect reportedly left the scene on foot.

Macron speaks of "act of terror"
"Everything is being done to find the perpetrator of this act of terrorism", President Emmanuel Macron declared on Saturday: "The fight against anti-Semitism is a daily struggle in every moment and of a united nation", Macron emphasized in the online service X. His thoughts are with the "faithful of the synagogue of La Grande-Motte and all Jews" in the country.

On the Jewish holiday of Shabbat, which begins on Friday evening and ends on Saturday evening, worshippers flock to the synagogues, especially on Saturday morning. At the time of the attack, however, no service was taking place in the synagogue in the southern French city, AFP learned from police sources. According to investigators, a rabbi and four other people were in the building at the time of the attack, all of whom were unharmed.

Prime Minister Gabriel Attal stated that the anti-terrorism public prosecutor's office had taken over the investigation. At X, he spoke of an "anti-Semitic act". The security forces are "currently pursuing the suspect". The public prosecutor's office announced that it had opened an investigation into attempted terrorist murder.

Security measures increased outside synagogues
For his part, Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin ordered increased security precautions for Jewish institutions throughout the country. Darmanin has asked the prefects in France to "immediately" increase the presence of security forces in front of Jewish institutions, according to ministry circles.

In the online service X, Darmanin spoke of an "obviously criminal" act. "I would like to assure our Jewish fellow citizens and the community of my full support."

Anti-Semitic crimes on the rise
The number of anti-Semitic crimes in France has risen significantly since the start of the war in the Gaza Strip triggered by the attack on Israel by the radical Islamic group Hamas on October 7. According to Darmanin, 887 such crimes were recorded in the first half of the year. In 2023, there were 304 in the same period.

Months ago, the Jewish umbrella organization Crif declared that the number of anti-Semitic crimes had almost "exploded" after 7 October. On Saturday, Crif condemned the incident in La Grande-Motte as an "attempt to kill Jews". The use of a gas canister in a car outside a synagogue when praying people were expected there was "not just a criminal act", explained Crif chairman Yonathan Afri. "This shows an intention to kill."