Around 200 police officers are searching for a man who attempted to set fire to a synagogue in La Grande-Motte, France. Prime Minister Gabriel Attal stated that authorities are determined to combat antisemitism following the incident. A police officer sustained minor injuries when a gas bottle exploded as they secured the site of the attack. The attacker set fire to several entry doors of the synagogue and multiple cars, but firefighters and police arrived quickly to prevent a tragedy. The suspect was reported to have set fire to two cars, one of which contained a gas bottle, in the synagogue’s parking area. President Emmanuel Macron labeled the incident as a terrorist attack, leading the anti-terrorism prosecutor’s office to take charge of the investigation. Police protection for synagogues, Jewish schools, and shops will be increased throughout France in response to the surge in antisemitic incidents following conflicts in the Middle East. The suspect, who was captured on CCTV wearing a Palestinian flag, is believed to have targeted the synagogue deliberately. The leader of the CRIF, a French Jewish organization, condemned the attack as a direct threat to the Jewish community. La Grande-Motte is a city on the French coast, known for its port and resort amenities.
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