French Police Kill Man Attempting to Burn Rouen Synagogue
French police have shot and killed an armed man who attempted to set fire to a synagogue in Rouen, as stated by the interior minister. The man, armed with a knife and an iron bar, was advancing towards the police when he was shot.
Rouen Mayor Nicolas Mayer-Rossignaol noted that the attack impacted not only the Jewish community but also left the entire city "battered and in shock." Police responded around 06:45 (04:45 GMT) after reports of smoke rising from the synagogue. Upon arrival, an officer shot the man.
Firefighters at the scene eventually brought the fire under control inside the synagogue. There appeared to be no victims other than the armed man, the mayor said.
Damage inside the synagogue has been described as "significant". The local public prosecutor said two investigations were under way - into the arson attack on a place of worship and into the death of the man outside the building.
Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin praised police "for their responsiveness and courage ".
France, in common with the rest of Western Europe, has seen a surge in antisemitism since Hamas attacked southern Israel last October leading to the current war in Gaza.
Earlier this week, a memorial in Paris dedicated to 3,900 individuals who rescued Jews during the Nazi occupation of France in World War Two was defaced with red-painted handprints. President Emmanuel Macron condemned the vandalism, stating it dishonored the memory of France's heroes and Holocaust victims.
France has the world's third-largest Jewish community, following Israel and the US. Elie Korchia, a prominent figure in France's Jewish community, expressed gratitude to the police for their swift response to what he called "a new antisemitic drama in our country."
Rouen's places of worship have faced attacks in the past. Eight years ago, a priest was fatally stabbed while conducting a church service.
This recent violence follows an incident days earlier, where gunmen killed two prison officers in an ambush at a motorway toll south of the city. During the attack, convicted prisoner Mohamed Amra escaped and remains at large.
