An attempted arson attack struck the Beth Yaacov synagogue in La Grande Motte, France, on Saturday morning, causing significant damage and injuring a municipal police officer.
An attempted arson attack struck the Beth Yaacov synagogue in La Grande Motte, France, on Saturday morning, causing significant damage and injuring a municipal police officer. The incident occurred around 8:30 a.m. when two vehicles parked in front of the synagogue caught fire. One of these vehicles exploded, likely due to the presence of a gas bottle, according to reports from Franceinfo and Bfmtv.
🚨🇫🇷ALERTE : 2 voitures, dont l'une contenant une bouteille de gaz, ont été incendiées et ont explosé devant la synagogue de la Grande-Motte, blessant 1 policier. Un "incendie criminel" est évoqué. (AFP) pic.twitter.com/VrT1hTyDMX
— Direct infos (@directinfos99)La Grande-Motte (34) : au moins deux voitures, dont l’une contenant une bouteille de gaz, ont été incendiées devant la synagogue, causant une explosion qui a blessé un policier (Màj)
https://t.co/DBbjAJuTm6 pic.twitter.com/oJFyVoQ6CS
The fire resulted in the burning of two doors of the synagogue. Firefighters quickly responded to the scene, and bomb disposal experts, along with gendarmes from the Herault criminal investigation unit, are currently on site conducting initial investigations.
France’s Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin described the incident as "clearly criminal" and assured the Jewish community of La Grande Motte and the wider public of full support.
"An attempted arson attack, clearly criminal, hit the synagogue of La Grande Motte this morning. I want to assure our Jewish fellow citizens and the municipality of my full support and say that at the request of the President of the Republic @EmmanuelMacron, all means are being mobilized to find the perpetrator," France's Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said on X.
Une tentative d’incendie, manifestement criminelle, a touché la synagogue de la Grande Motte ce matin. Je veux assurer nos concitoyens juifs et la commune de tout mon soutien et dire qu’à la demande du Président de la République , tous les moyens sont mobilisés…
— Gérald DARMANIN (@GDarmanin)The mayor of La Grande Motte, Stephan Rossignol, confirmed that a municipal police officer was injured in the explosion and has been taken to Montpellier University Hospital. The exact details of the officer’s condition have not been disclosed. No injuries have been reported among those inside the synagogue at the time of the fire.
In response to the attack, the Prefect of Herault has announced heightened security measures for Jewish institutions in the department. The criminal investigation into the arson is ongoing, with authorities prioritizing the search for those responsible.
Je dénonce avec la plus grande fermeté les faits qui se sont déroulés ce matin sur la synagogue de la Grande Motte. J’ai demandé aux policiers et aux gendarmes de renforcer la sécurité des intérêts juifs dans le département. Je me rends sur place. pic.twitter.com/dj6Ixruqk5
— Préfet de l'Hérault 🇫🇷 (@Prefet34)