French police fatally shoot a man suspected of planning to set fire to a synagogue

PARIS (AP) — French police shot and killed an armed suspect who appeared to be planning to set fire to a synagogue in the Normandy city of Rouen early on Friday, the Interior Ministry said.

Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin posted on the social media site X that the armed individual was “neutralized.”

“In Rouen, national police officers neutralized early this morning an armed individual clearly wanting to set fire to the city’s synagogue. I congratulate them for their reactivity and their courage,” he said.

The ministry confirmed that the suspect was shot and killed. It gave no other immediate details.

Tensions and anger have grown in France over the Israel-Hamas war. Antisemitic acts have surged in the country, which has the largest Jewish and Muslim populations in western Europe.

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