France tightens security around synagogues and Jewish schools

Local authorities in France have been ordered to ensure added protection around synagogues and Jewish-faith schools after the attack by Palestinian militant group Hamas on Israel over the weekend.

Synagogues and schools based in Paris have been warned to be especially alert.

However, Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin confirmed today that there is no specific “clear-cut threat that will affect our Jewish compatriots in France”.

He told France Bleu: “This weekend we saw around ten anti-Semitic acts, [including graffiti] tags, threatening phone calls, people coming up to places of worship, for example.

“The police were there every time. Many people were arrested.”

In the same interview, the minister said that France is “doing everything we can for our Jewish compatriots, because what is happening outside of the country has repercussions in our country”.

Mr Darmanin also said that Pharos, the official police portal for reporting illegal Internet content - including suspected terrorist-related comments, graphic or disturbing images - had received 700 reports over two days.

“I know that the justice minister has also asked the public prosecutor to open investigations,” Mr Darmanin said. “So we will be taking stock of the situation with each department to see if we still need to allocate resources.”

The interior minister had been set to travel to Germany today, but he has postponed the trip in order to meet with the Chief Rabbi of France, Haïm Korsia, this Monday afternoon at 15:00, to discuss the situation.

Pro-Palestine protest banned

It comes as Rhône prefecture authorities have banned a pro-Palestine protest from taking place in the city of Lyon.

The march had been set to go ahead this evening (Monday, October 9), but authorities say it presents too much of a risk to public order, especially in the “already difficult Guillotière district”, said the minister.

Mr Darmanin added that there was no ‘blanket rule’ to ban all pro-Palestinian events, but that each decision would be taken on a ‘case by case’ basis.

He said that if the event looks set to present a threat to public order, that would likely lead to a ban.

Similarly, he said that he would consider the track record of the organising group.

He said: “In this case, the slogans and those who organised the demonstration are already known to be unfavourable.”

Palestinian militant group Hamas - which rules over the contested Gaza Strip - launched a surprise attack on Israel on Saturday, October 7. Hundreds of people have been killed and thousands injured, and many Israelis have been taken hostage.

Eiffel Tower ‘in solidarity’

Yesterday (October 8), Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo posted on X (formerly Twitter): “The Eiffel Tower has been turned off in homage to all the victims of the terrorist attack perpetrated by Hamas. Tomorrow night, in solidarity with the Israelis, it will be lit up in the colours of their flag.”

Hamas is considered to be a terrorist organisation by the US, the European Union, the UK, and many other nations. It is backed by Iran. Pro-Palestinian groups often argue that there should be an independent Palestinian state in the region.

Israel was declared as a state in 1948, although some still do not recognise it, and call the area Palestine. ‘Palestine’ is also sometimes used to describe the contested areas of Gaza and the West Bank, and sometimes also East Jerusalem.

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