French authorities shore up protection of Jewish places of worship after suspected synagogue attack

France’s acting interior minister ordered police reinforcements to protect Jewish places of worship after a suspected arson attack Saturday on a synagogue in a southwestern Mediterranean town.

Two cars parked at the Beth Yaacov synagogue in the seaside resort town of La Grande Motte near Montpellier were set ablaze on Saturday morning, injuring a police officer, according to French media reports. It was not immediately clear how many people were inside the synagogue at the time. There are no reports of other injuries.

Acting Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said the incident was being treated as an “attempted arson” that is “clearly a criminal act.” One of the cars allegedly contained a propane gas tank, local media reported.

“I want to assure our Jewish fellow citizens of my full support and say that at the request of President Emmanuel Macron all means are being mobilized to find the perpetrator,” Darmanin said in a post on X. He ordered more police deployed at Jewish places of worship around the country following a surge of antisemitism since the start of the Israel-Hamas war last year.

Darmanin is expected to travel to Le Grand Motte later on Saturday along with France’s acting Prime Minister Gabriel Attal.