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The synagogue in Rouen, France, where an armed attacker was shot dead.
Paris
CNN
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Police have shot dead an armed attacker who tried to burn down a synagogue in Rouen, northern France, authorities said.
A suspect entered the building early Friday morning and threw what appeared to be a Molotov cocktail, the local mayor said.
The man climbed on a trash can and reached the second floor of the synagogue, then threw the projectile into the building, causing a fire, Rouen Mayor Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol told reporters at the scene.
“He was (quickly) shot dead by security forces before attempting to fight with them. He then tried to attack the security forces with a knife, a long knife,” the mayor said, adding that that’s when the security forces opened fire and killed the suspect.
No one was injured during the attempted attack, according to Mayer-Rossignol. Police arrived very quickly, in part because they saw the suspect on security cameras, he said.
The local prosecutor’s office has opened two investigations, one into the arson and the other into the firing of police weapons, Mayer-Rossignol said.
French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin tweeted his support for the police intervention.
“Early this morning, Rouen police officers shot dead an armed individual who clearly intended to set fire to the city’s synagogue. I congratulate them for their responsiveness and courage,” Darmanin said.
Rouen authorities have increased the police presence at the city’s synagogue following the October 7 attacks in Israel.
Security measures have intensified at Jewish institutions across France in response to tensions linked to the ongoing war between Israel and Gaza. Darmanin announced increased security at synagogues and Jewish schools last month.
“As Passover approaches and taking into account the current international situation, I have asked local authorities to significantly increase security in places visited by our Jewish compatriots, particularly with regard to synagogues and Jewish schools,” wrote the minister on X.
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