French police arrested a man suspected of trying to set a synagogue ablaze in the southern French city of la Grande-Motte on Saturday, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said.
“Thanks to the police, and mainly the RAID (elite tactical national police unit), who intervened with great professionalism despite his gunshots,” he said on X.
Sources told AFP that the police officers traced the alleged attacker to Nimes, which is about 28 miles (45km) north east of La Grande-Motte near Montpellier.
Earlier, French authorities opened a terrorism investigation after a blazing car exploded in the car park of the synagogue.
The government condemned the “anti-Semitic acts” and tightened security around Jewish schools and places of worship after the incident.
At least two cars, one of them containing a gas cylinder, were set on fire on Saturday outside a synagogue in La Grande-Motte, causing an explosion that injured a police officer.
The National Anti-terrorism Prosecutor's Office said in a statement seen by AFP that five people, including the rabbi, who were present in the synagogue complex at the time of the attack, were unharmed.
“A municipal police officer was injured at the scene where at least two cars were set on fire,” said the city's mayor, Stéphane Rossignol.
He said the officer arrived at the scene after the fire broke out, without being able to immediately provide details about his health condition.
AFP quoted sources as saying that the suspect had been seen on CCTV shortly before the attack with a Palestinian flag tied round his waist.
French President Emmanuel Macron called the incident “an act of terror,” adding on X that “the fight against anti-Semitism is a daily fight.”
He said “all means are being deployed” to apprehend the suspect.
For his part, French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal said in a post on X, “An anti-Semitic act. Once again, our Jewish fellow citizens are being targeted.”
Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin called the incident “an obviously criminal act.”
He said “all means are being deployed to find the perpetrator.”
The police presence outside Jewish sites in France would be increased following the explosion, the minister added.
