French Police Hunt for Synagogue Arsonist Amid Rising Antisemitism

Around 200 police officers pursued a man who attempted to set fire to a synagogue in La Grande-Motte, France. Prime Minister Gabriel Attal vowed to be ruthless against antisemitism. The suspect, carrying a Palestinian flag, exploded a gas bottle injuring one policeman. Increased protection for synagogues and Jewish sites has been ordered.

(Updates with prime minister's comments and details throughout) LA GRANDE-MOTTE, France, Aug 24 - About 200 police officers hunted on Saturday for a man who tried to set fire to a synagogue in the southern French city of La Grande-Motte, Prime Minister Gabriel Attal said, adding that authorities would be ruthless with antisemitism.

A policeman was slightly injured when a gas bottle exploded as police secured the site of the attack on Saturday morning, Attal said. "The person (attacker) set fire to several entry doors to the synagogue and several cars," Attal said after visiting the synagogue, adding that an "absolute tragedy" had been narrowly averted after firefighters and police arrived quickly at the scene.

Local media reported earlier that the suspect had set fire to two cars, one of which contained at least one gas bottle, in the synagogue's parking area at about 8:30 a.m. (0630 GMT). President Emmanuel Macron called the incident a terrorist attack. The anti-terrorism prosecutor's office was placed in charge of the investigation.

Police protection of synagogues, and Jewish schools and shops would be stepped up across France, the government said. France, like other countries in Europe, has seen a surge in antisemitic incidents following the Hamas attacks on Israel on Oct. 7 and Israel's retaliatory assault on Gaza.

Le Parisien, franceinfo and other media said the suspect had been seen on CCTV shortly before the attack with a Palestinian flag tied round his waist. "This is an antisemitic attack. Once more, our Jewish compatriots are targeted," Attal wrote earlier on X. "In the face of antisemitism, in the face of violence, we will never allow ourselves to be intimidated."

Police declined to give more details. "Exploding a gas bottle in a car in front of the Grande Motte synagogue at the expected time of arrival of the faithful: it's not just attacking a place of worship, it's an attempt to kill Jews," Yonathan Arfi, who leads the CRIF, an umbrella organisation of French Jewish groups, said on X.

La Grande-Motte is a port and resort city on the French Mediterranean coast.

(With inputs from agencies.)