-
France set to pass emergency ‘budget law’: is it good or bad for your finances?
The country will effectively be without a budget from 2025, with knock-on effects for individuals and companies
-
EasyJet announces nine new flight routes from France including to UK
A service from Bordeaux to Birmingham is among the new announcements
-
French weekend weather outlook December 14 - 15: gloomy and chilly in the north
Cloudy skies are expected to dominate in the north, but in the south temperatures will still reach double figures
Couple in France ‘report fake terror alert to avoid missing train’
The alert caused Lille-Europe and Lille-Flandres stations to be evacuated. The couple have been arrested
A couple reported a fake terror alert at Lille-Europe railway station so that they would not miss their train, firefighters have said.
The Pompiers du Nord fire department (the SDIS) has now submitted a formal complaint about the incident, which took place on Wednesday (July 19).
The emergency service claims the couple made a call to report the alleged presence of a terrorist on a train from Paris to Lille.
This caused the Lille-Europe and Lille-Flandres to be evacuated and the area around the stations was cordoned off.
Police said it had been made by a couple who were travelling on a TGV from Paris to Lille, alleging they made the false accusation to delay proceedings at Lille so they would not miss their onward connection. The couple were arrested.
Writing on social media, the emergency service said: "The SDIS has announced that it is associating itself with the complaints lodged following the false alarm.” It said the tip-off had “mobilised seven emergency vehicles and their crews for more than two hours” for no reason.
Le #SDIS du Nord annonce qu’il s’associe aux plaintes déposées suite à la fausse alerte d’hier à #Lille, intervention de sécurité qui, chez les sapeurs-#pompiers, a mobilisé 7 engins de secours et leurs équipages durant plus de deux heures. pic.twitter.com/mmx6NS6ZmA
— SDIS 59 (@Sdis59) July 20, 2023
Xavier Bertrand, president of Hauts-de-France, said the region would “lodge a complaint following these unspeakable acts which have damaged the network”.
Read also
Privatised Eurostar security will raise terror risk, says French union