French police arrested a man suspected of attempting to set fire to a synagogue in the southern city of La Grande-Motte on Saturday, according to Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin. The suspect, whose identity has not been officially disclosed, was apprehended in Nîmes after a dramatic confrontation with law enforcement. Reports indicate that the individual, believed to be a 33-year-old of Algerian origin, opened fire on police officers during the arrest, resulting in his injury. He is currently receiving medical care, though his condition is not considered life-threatening.

The incident took place early Saturday morning at the Beth Yaacov synagogue in La Grande-Motte, a seaside town near Montpellier. Two cars parked outside the synagogue were set ablaze, one of which contained a propane gas tank that exploded, injuring a police officer who was responding to the scene. Fortunately, the five people inside the synagogue at the time, including the rabbi, were unharmed.

French authorities have launched a terrorism investigation, treating the attack as an attempted assassination linked to a terrorist group. President Emmanuel Macron condemned the incident, calling it a terrorist act and reaffirming France’s commitment to combating antisemitism. Macron stated the “fight against antisemitism is a constant battle”, adding that all efforts were being made to apprehend those responsible.

Prime Minister Gabriel Attal and Interior Minister Darmanin condemned the attack as an act of antisemitism. Attal described the incident as an “absolute tragedy” narrowly avoided, emphasizing that had the synagogue been full of worshippers, the outcome could have been catastrophic. Increased security measures at Jewish places of worship across the country have been ordered, an acknowledgement of the surge in antisemitic acts in France since the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict last year.

The suspect’s arrest has brought some relief to the local Jewish community, but the incident has reignited concerns about the safety of Jewish citizens in France. The country, which has the largest Jewish population in Europe, has seen a significant rise in antisemitic incidents in recent years, prompting authorities to bolster security around synagogues, schools, and other Jewish institutions.