President Emmanuel Macron has called the arson attack “an act of terrorism” which a united France will fight.
Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin announced the arrest of X late Saturday evening.
According to the TV channel BFM, the person arrested is a 33-year-old from Algeria. Around 200 police officers were deployed in the hunt for the suspect.
Arrested in Nîmes
The incident is being investigated by the prosecuting authority for terrorist cases. On the night of Sunday, they state that the suspect was arrested in Nîmes, which is located around 45 kilometers north-east of La Grande-Motte.
– Before the police could intervene, the suspect shot at the police, who shot back. The man was injured in the face, says a statement.
Two other people have also been arrested.
Two cars were set on fire at the synagogue by a person wearing a Palestinian flag tied around his waist, according to surveillance camera images.
– Anti-Semitic act
The fire caused an explosion, and a policeman was injured. The cause of the explosion is said to have been a gas cylinder inside one of the cars. At the same time, the synagogue’s two doors began to burn. According to Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, the perpetrator set fire to both parts.
Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin has called the incident in La Grande-Motte an obvious crime, while Prime Minister Attal says it is an anti-Semitic act.
– Once again our Jewish citizens are being attacked, says Attal.
There were no people in the synagogue when the fire broke out, according to information provided to France Info.
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2024-08-25 07:27:06
