French Police Kill Armed Man Attempting to Set Fire to Synagogue

The French Interior Minister announced that the police killed an armed individual who intended to set fire to a synagogue in the city of Rouen in northern France. Gérald Darmanin wrote on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday, May 17, that 'the police neutralized an armed individual early this morning in Rouen who was openly trying to set fire to the city's synagogue.' A source close to the case told AFP that the armed individual was shot after attacking police with a knife and an iron bar. Rouen is located 130 kilometers northwest of Paris. The identity and motive of the assailant have not yet been released. France is set to host the Summer Olympics in two months and has recently raised its security alert level to the highest due to the situation in the Middle East, particularly the war in Gaza. Élie Korchia, head of a Jewish association in France, stated that the police 'prevented another anti-Semitic tragedy.' Local television network France 3 reported that firefighters were on the scene. According to a municipal official in Rouen, the fire has been brought under control. The mayor of Rouen said that the city in Normandy is 'shocked.' Rouen also witnessed an attack in 2016 when a priest was killed with a knife, an attack later claimed by the Islamic State (ISIS).