French police have sealed off the area around the Arc de Triomphe in Paris following a suspected terror attack on Friday evening. A man armed with a knife and scissors assaulted a gendarme near the iconic landmark. During the incident, which occurred as preparations were underway for the lighting of the “Eternal Flame” commemorating fallen soldiers, another gendarme intervened, shooting the assailant. The attacker later succumbed to his injuries, while the targeted gendarme fortunately sustained no physical harm, according to reports from news agencies citing the French public prosecutor’s office. This swift response prevented further escalation of the situation in a highly symbolic location.
The anti-terror prosecutor’s office has officially classified the incident as an act of terror, launching an investigation into attempted murder with a terrorist motive and membership in a terrorist organization. The attacker has been identified as a 47-year-old French national with a significant history of terror-related offenses. He was previously convicted in Brussels in 2013 for terroristically motivated attempted killing of police officers. After being transferred to France, he was released from prison at the end of December and had reportedly been under judicial supervision since his release, raising questions about the effectiveness of such monitoring.
France’s Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez stated that the man had attempted to attack a member of the Gendarmerie’s music band. The precise motive for this specific target remains unknown. Nuñez confirmed that the gendarme who neutralized the attacker used his weapon in accordance with regulations, preventing further harm. President Emmanuel Macron, reacting to the attack on platform X, declared, “In the face of Islamist terror, the republican flame will always defend itself.” He commended the exemplary courage and composure of the gendarmes and military personnel, emphasizing their role in ending the attack and averting a worse outcome.
The incident underscores the persistent threat of Islamist terror in France, even as the nation prepares for significant public events. Gendarmes, unlike regular police officers, are formally part of the French army, serving distinct security roles within the country. The sealing off of the area around the Arc de Triomphe highlights the immediate security measures taken in the wake of such a sensitive event. This attack, occurring at a monument central to French national identity and remembrance, serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing challenges faced by security forces in combating extremist violence.
Source: Read Original
