Fire at the synagogue in La Grande-Motte: the suspect was arrested in Nîmes

16:32 – The man had a weapon on him

As shown in the CCTV footage, identified by several media outlets, including France 3 Occitane, the man was carrying gasoline in water bottles, which allowed him to easily set fire to two doors of the synagogue. He also had a Palestinian flag tied around his waist, in which he had stuck a pistol-type firearm.

16:08 – The suspect found thanks to the location of his phone

Recognized on the video surveillance images around the synagogue of La Grande-Motte, the suspect was quickly found. It must be said that 200 police officers and gendarmes were looking for him. It was thanks to the location of his phone that he was able to be found about fifty kilometers away, Nîmes.

15:35 – How the arrest took place ?

After 15 hours on the run, the alleged perpetrator of the arson attack on the synagogue in La Grande-Motte was arrested. He was found in Nîmes, about fifty kilometers from La Grande-Motte. He opened fire on the RAID police officers, who returned fire and hit the suspect. He is injured, but his life is not in danger.

15:03 – Élie Koricha, president of the Consistoire de France, reacts to the fire

“We knew that this threat was there,” assures the president of the Consistory of France. According to him, the war in Gaza has led to a deleterious climate: “We knew that this whole inflammable situation risked leading to a shift to the act."

14:22 – The Crif is "angry" after the attack on the Grande-Motte synagogue

Philippe Meyer assures that the CRIF (Representative Council of Jewish Institutions of France) is “angry because this attack comes in a series of frenzied anti-Semitic acts since October 7, which has continued to worsen”, recalling in particular the attempted arson of the Rouen synagogue in May. He explains that this attack in La Grande-Motte is “signed by anti-Zionist hatred, by hatred of Israel” and that “anti-Zionism is anti-mitism”.

13:04 – Marine Tondelier: "This kind of act is appalling"

The national secretary of the Greens is the guest of the Grand Jury of RTL. She assures that she gives her “frank and massive support” to the entire Jewish community of this country” and recognizes a rise in anti-Semitism in France, which she describes as a “scourge” since the attacks of October 7.

200% Deposit Bonus up to €3,000 180% First Deposit Bonus up to $20,000

12:36 – One of the cars set on fire is believed to be that of the suspect

According to initial investigations, one of the cars set on fire in front of the synagogue in La Grande-Motte is believed to be that of the suspect. He is also said to have set fire to the doors of the place of worship with gasoline.

11:53 – The suspect is unknown to the intelligence services

The 33-year-old man is said to be legally resident in France, having arrived in the 2010s from Algeria. He is said to be the father of a child born in France and was reportedly living for a time in La Grande-Motte, where the attack took place, and in Nîmes, where he was arrested. He was known to the police for “drug use”, but not to the intelligence services.

11:09 – Two people in custody

Although investigators seem to think that the suspect acted alone, two other people are in custody. They are members of the suspect's entourage. The suspect is still in hospital after being shot, his guard at view has not yet started.

10:33 – Injured police officer released from hospital

The municipal police officer who was injured while trying to secure the area “released from hospital late this afternoon after undergoing tests”, assured the mayor of La Grande-Motte, St&eacutephane Rossignol, on Saturday evening, BFMTV.

10:02 – The suspect's profile

The alleged perpetrator of the fire in front of the synagogue in La Grande-Motte is a 33-year-old man of Algerian nationality. He was arrested on Saturday evening in Nîmes. Shots were fired, he was injured, but his life is not in danger. He claims to have set the fire his own car before fleeing and acting alone.

The resigning Minister of the Interior announced that the suspect had been arrested. RAID teams intervened at around 11:30 p.m. in a building in the Pissevin district, N&icir;mes.

Learn more

A fire broke out on Saturday, August 24 in front of the Beth Yaacov synagogue in La Grande-Motte (Hérault). According to information from BFMTV, firefighters intervened around 8:30 a.m. Two cars parked in front of the place of worship were on fire. A gas cylinder was reportedly stored in one of them. According to video surveillance images, a suspicious individual left the premises a few moments before the flames ravaged the site. The doors of the synagogue were hit, but no one present was injured. inside was not injured. A municipal police officer was nevertheless hit while he was setting up a security system. The exact origin or severity of his injury is not yet known.

A “clearly criminal” act

In addition to the firefighters, bomb disposal experts were dispatched to the scene to try to control the fire. Gendarmes from the investigation unit of the Hérault group were also mobilized to carry out the initial observations.

Informed of the situation, the outgoing Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, asked the prefects to increase the static presence of law enforcement in front of Jewish places of worship. He speaks on X of a “manifestly criminal” act. He will go there in the afternoon, accompanied by the resigning Prime Minister, Gabriel Attal.