The arson attack, which targeted the Beth Yaacov synagogue in La Grande-Motte on Saturday, left one police officer injured.
French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin has denounced a surge in antisemitism following a Saturday arson attack on a synagogue in La Grande-Motte in the south of the country.
The attack, which targeted the Beth Yaacov synagogue in the seaside resort town, left one police officer injured and led to a shootout between the suspect and law enforcement in nearby Nîmes.
The suspect set fire to two cars parked outside the synagogue, one of which contained a hidden gas canister, leading to an explosion.
The blast injured a police officer who was responding to the incident. There were five people inside the synagogue at the time of the attack, including the rabbi and his family. They were all unharmed.
“Deliberately setting fire to a synagogue where the rabbi and his family live while waiting with an axe … is an antisemitic act, and it must be denounced as such,” Darmanin said during an address on French television.
Darmanin praised the police for their response, noting they had shown “great professionalism”. The suspect, identified as a 33-year-old Algerian national by domestic outlets, was shot and injured during the confrontation and is currently receiving medical treatment.
‘We have to be angry’
Meanwhile, dozens of people gathered in Paris on Sunday in a rally against racism, antisemitism, and all forms of discrimination in response to the attack in La Grande-Motte.
Dominique Sopo, president of the French anti-racist association SOS Racisme, emphasised the importance of immediate and firm action.
“It’s important to show firmness immediately, to characterise the act, and to say that this will not pass in our society. There are a variety of people and groups who say no, and this is not possible,” Sopo said.
Catherine Abecassis, a protester who attended the rally, expressed her anger and frustration. “I am angry, we have to be angry. I’m Jewish, and Jews must stop doing what we always do, submitting to say sorry.”
“It’s not normal to attack someone because they’re Jewish. It’s not normal to attack someone because they’re Muslim. It’s not normal to attack someone because they’re Black, because they’re like this or like that. We must learn to live together,” Abecassis added.
The investigation into the attack is being treated as an attempted assassination linked to a terrorist group and destruction of property with dangerous means. Prosecutors are also considering charges of a crime planned by a terrorist group with the intent to cause harm.
The incident underscores the increasing concerns over antisemitic acts in France, which, according to Darmanin, have risen significantly in recent weeks.
