French Police Arrest Suspect in Attempted Arson at La Grande-Motte Synagogue

French authorities have arrested a man suspected of attempting to set fire to the Beth Yaacov synagogue in La Grande-Motte, a Mediterranean resort town in southern France. The arrest was confirmed by Acting Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin on Saturday, who described the incident as an “obviously criminal act.”

The incident occurred at approximately 8:30 a.m. on Saturday when two cars parked outside the synagogue were set ablaze. One of the cars reportedly contained a gas bottle, heightening the potential for a serious explosion. The fire also spread to two doors of the synagogue, causing further damage. A police officer at the scene was injured in an explosion but is not in critical condition.

President Emmanuel Macron condemned the attack, labeling it a “terrorist act.” He assured the public that “everything is being done to find [its] perpetrator” and emphasized that “the fight against antisemitism is a constant battle.” Macron’s strong stance reflects the broader concerns in France regarding the rising number of antisemitic incidents.

Acting Prime Minister Gabriel Attal and Acting Interior Minister Darmanin traveled to the scene of the attack on Saturday afternoon. Darmanin also took to social media to express his support for the Jewish community, stating, “I want to assure our Jewish fellow citizens and the local community of my full support.” He further noted that at the president’s request, “all means are being mobilized to find the perpetrator.”

In response to the attack, Darmanin issued a directive to local government officials, calling for “immediate reinforced protection” around Jewish places of worship. He urged “absolute vigilance” to protect those entering and leaving synagogues and Jewish schools across the country.

Yonathan Arfi, president of the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions in France (Crif), condemned the attack as an attempt to kill members of the Jewish community. “Exploding a gas canister in a car outside the synagogue in La Grande-Motte at a time when worshippers were due to arrive is not just an attack on a place of worship, it is an attempt to kill Jews,” Arfi stated.

Fortunately, the five people who were inside the synagogue at the time of the explosion, including the rabbi, were unharmed. The injured police officer was taken to a hospital in Montpellier, where he is being treated for blast-related injuries.

The attack on the synagogue comes amidst a troubling surge in antisemitic acts in France. Since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, there has been a marked increase in such incidents. According to Darmanin, the number of reported antisemitic acts has nearly tripled in 2024, with 887 incidents compared to 304 during the same period last year. In 2023, there were a total of 1,676 reported antisemitic incidents, a fourfold increase from the previous year.