Two cars caught fire after a gas bottle probably exploded in one of the vehicles, police said.
A police officer was injured in an explosion in front of a synagogue in southern France. The authorities spoke of a deliberate attack and announced that security measures in Jewish institutions would be increased.
Police are searching for a suspect and the anti-terrorism prosecutor’s office has been tasked with investigating, Prime Minister Gabriel Attal said on Saturday.
“This is an anti-Semitic attack. Once again, our Jewish compatriots are the target,” Attal said on X. “We will not give up. In the face of anti-Semitism, in the face of violence, we will never allow ourselves to be intimidated.”
Two cars in front of the synagogue in La Grande-Motte, a Mediterranean coastal town near Montpellier, went up in flames after a gas cylinder probably exploded in one of the vehicles, police said.
Local media reported that the incident occurred around 8:30 a.m. (06:30 GMT).
“Detonating a gas bottle in a car in front of the Grande Motte synagogue at the expected arrival time of the faithful: this is not just an attack on a place of worship, it is an attempt to kill Jews,” Yonathan Arfi, chairman of CRIF, an umbrella organization of French Jewish groups, said at X.
In addition, two doors of the synagogue were set on fire. It is unclear whether this happened before or after the explosion.
William Maury of the police union Alliance Police Nationale told BFM TV that the life of the injured police officer was not in danger.
Police confirmed the attempted arson attack but declined to provide further details.
It was initially unclear how many people were in the synagogue at the time. There are no reports of further injuries.
Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said police protection of synagogues, Jewish schools and shops would be increased across France.
He said the incident was being treated as an “attempted arson” which was “clearly a criminal act”.
“I would like to assure our Jewish fellow citizens of my full support and say that, at the request of President Emmanuel Macron, all means will be mobilized to find the perpetrator,” Darmanin said in a post on X.
Attal and Darmanin will visit the synagogue later on Saturday.
