Police officer injured in arson attack at French synagogue

French authorities have initiated a terrorism investigation following an arson attack on the Beth Yaacov synagogue in La Grande Motte, which injured a police officer on Saturday, August 24. The incident occurred around 8 am when two cars parked outside the synagogue were set ablaze, leading to additional fires at the building's entrances. The National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor's Office is treating the attack as an attempted assassination linked to a terrorist group, emphasizing the intent to cause harm. President Emmanuel Macron condemned the attack as a "terrorist act" and pledged that all resources would be mobilized to apprehend the perpetrator. He highlighted the ongoing struggle against antisemitism in France, a sentiment echoed by Acting Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, who described the incident as an act of antisemitism targeting the Jewish community. Attal affirmed that the government would not be intimidated by such violence. In response to the attack, Acting Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin ordered increased police protection for Jewish places of worship and schools across the country. He characterized the fire as an "obviously criminal act" and assured the Jewish community of the government's support. Darmanin and Attal were scheduled to visit La Grande Motte later that day to assess the situation. The attack comes amid a troubling rise in antisemitic incidents in France, particularly following the Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023. Reports indicate that antisemitic acts have surged, with 887 incidents recorded in early 2024 alone, compared to 304 during the same period last year.