An explosion outside a synagogue in southern France wounded a police officer early on Saturday, in what authorities said was being treated as a potential terror attack. Security around Jewish sites was tightened following the blast outside the Beth Yaacov synagogue in La Grande Motte near Montpellier. The incident involved a fire at the entrance of the synagogue, quickly extinguished with minor damage. President Macron labeled it as an act of terror, stressing the ongoing fight against anti-Semitism.
The suspected perpetrator, seen on CCTV footage, was carrying a Palestinian flag and possibly armed, with two cars outside the synagogue catching fire from an exploded gas canister. The attack occurred during Shabbat, although no religious service was ongoing at the time, sparing the rabbi and others inside. The French government, acknowledging the rise in anti-Semitic acts, vowed increased security measures and a thorough investigation.