French police have killed an armed man who allegedly planned to attack a synagogue in Rouen, Normandy.
Police were alerted that smoke was rising from the synagogue, and ended up coming face-to-face with the man outside the building.
The man had threatened the police officers with a knife and metal bar, police said. He tried to move towards them before an officer opened fire and killed him.
Police union official, Frederic Desguerre said that the man threw the metal bar he was carrying at the officers and then revealed a long kitchen knife from one of his sleeves.
He also said that that the officers fired five warning shots to try to stop the man from moving.
French police officers standing near Synagogue de Rouen (Credit: AP Photo/Oleg Cetinic)
Rouen Mayor Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol said the attack was believed to be antisemitic. “When the Jewish community is attacked, it’s an attack on the national community, an attack on France, an attack on all French citizens,” he said.
He added that it’s “a fright for the whole nation.”
Earlier his week, a memorial in Paris honouring people who helped to rescue Jews in France during the country’s Nazi occupation in the Second World War was also attacked. It was defaced with painted blood-red hands.
Yonathan Arfi, head of the main French Jewish umbrella group described what happening in these recent events as “the climate of terror” facing Jews in France.
Mayer-Rossignol also said the man is thought to have climbed onto a rubbish container and thrown “a sort of Molotov cocktail” inside the synagogue, which started a fire which caused “significant damage.”
Interior minister Gerald Darmanin posted on X, formerly Twitter, that he praised the officers for “their reactivity and their courage.”
Submitted Article
Headline
Short Headline
Standfirst
Published Article
HeadlineFrench police shoot man ‘attempting to burn’ synagogue in Rouen
Short HeadlineFrench police shoot man attempting to burn synagogue
StandfirstThe damage that has been done to the synagogue has been described as "significant"
French police have killed an armed man who allegedly planned to attack a synagogue in Rouen, Normandy.
Police were alerted that smoke was rising from the synagogue, and ended up coming face-to-face with the man outside the building.
The man had threatened the police officers with a knife and metal bar, police said. He tried to move towards them before an officer opened fire and killed him.
Police union official, Frederic Desguerre said that the man threw the metal bar he was carrying at the officers and then revealed a long kitchen knife from one of his sleeves.
He also said that that the officers fired five warning shots to try to stop the man from moving.
French police officers standing near Synagogue de Rouen (Credit: AP Photo/Oleg Cetinic)
Rouen Mayor Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol said the attack was believed to be antisemitic. “When the Jewish community is attacked, it’s an attack on the national community, an attack on France, an attack on all French citizens,” he said.
He added that it’s “a fright for the whole nation.”
Earlier his week, a memorial in Paris honouring people who helped to rescue Jews in France during the country’s Nazi occupation in the Second World War was also attacked. It was defaced with painted blood-red hands.
Yonathan Arfi, head of the main French Jewish umbrella group described what happening in these recent events as “the climate of terror” facing Jews in France.
Mayer-Rossignol also said the man is thought to have climbed onto a rubbish container and thrown “a sort of Molotov cocktail” inside the synagogue, which started a fire which caused “significant damage.”
Interior minister Gerald Darmanin posted on X, formerly Twitter, that he praised the officers for “their reactivity and their courage.”
