An explosion occurred outside the France‘s synagogue when two vehicles were set ablaze on Saturday. The incident near the Beth Yaacov synagogue in La Motte, a town situated along the southern coast, resulted in the injury of a police officer, according to authorities, reported AFP.
The interior minister of France, Gerald Darmanin, described the event as “an obviously criminal act”.The perpetrator is being actively sought using all available resources, further said the minister. He said “all means are being deployed to find the perpetrator”.
The Representative Council of Jewish Institutions in France (CRIF) has labeled the recent explosion as “an attempt to kill Jews”. The organization’s president, Yonathan Arfi, spoke to AFP about the incident and said, In his statement, “The use of a gas canister ‘in a car at a time when worshippers are expected to arrive at the synagogue is not simply a criminal act’.” ‘This shows an intention to kill,” he added.
The site of the blast was set to be visited by both the Prime Minister, Gabriel Attal, and Darmanin later in the day on Saturday.
Police suspect that the explosion originated from a gas canister that had been concealed within one of the vehicles involved in the incident.
La Motte, a well-known coastal resort, has a permanent population of approximately 8,500 residents and attracts over 100,000 visitors annually.
Darmanin recently disclosed that the government had recorded 887 instances of anti-Semitism in France during the initial six months of 2024, representing a nearly threefold increase compared to the corresponding period in 2023.
The interior minister of France, Gerald Darmanin, described the event as “an obviously criminal act”.The perpetrator is being actively sought using all available resources, further said the minister. He said “all means are being deployed to find the perpetrator”.
The Representative Council of Jewish Institutions in France (CRIF) has labeled the recent explosion as “an attempt to kill Jews”. The organization’s president, Yonathan Arfi, spoke to AFP about the incident and said, In his statement, “The use of a gas canister ‘in a car at a time when worshippers are expected to arrive at the synagogue is not simply a criminal act’.” ‘This shows an intention to kill,” he added.
The site of the blast was set to be visited by both the Prime Minister, Gabriel Attal, and Darmanin later in the day on Saturday.
Police suspect that the explosion originated from a gas canister that had been concealed within one of the vehicles involved in the incident.
La Motte, a well-known coastal resort, has a permanent population of approximately 8,500 residents and attracts over 100,000 visitors annually.
Darmanin recently disclosed that the government had recorded 887 instances of anti-Semitism in France during the initial six months of 2024, representing a nearly threefold increase compared to the corresponding period in 2023.