Christmas: Gérald Darmanin asks the prefects to strengthen the security of places of worship (Illustration) -
ISA HARSIN / SIPA
Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin asked the prefects to “significantly strengthen” the surveillance of places of worship and offices Thursday and Friday during the Christmas holidays, while the Vigipirate plan is still at its maximum level.
"Thank you for ensuring maximum visible mobilization of our security forces in the immediate vicinity of churches and temples in this period of high risk of attack," wrote the minister in a telegram sent Wednesday.
"Dissuasive" protection devices
The military forces of Sentinel "could usefully be mobilized", in reinforcement of the police and gendarmes, adds Gérald Darmanin, who wants "dissuasive" protection devices.
Since the jihadist knife attack that killed three people in the Notre-Dame basilica in Nice at the end of October, the Vigipirate plan has been at its highest level, known as an “emergency attack”.
This "requires special attention in front of symbolic sites or which gather many people in this period," he wrote.
Multiplication of masses
The minister invites the prefects in particular to "identify the most sensitive sites, know the places and times of the ceremonies and thus define the protective measures to be implemented in order to reassure Christians".
Since December 3, the 30-person gauge to participate in ceremonies in places of worship has been abolished but two seats must remain free between each person or family entity and every other row must remain unoccupied.
To satisfy all the faithful, some parishes have decided to increase the number of masses or to disorient them exceptionally in multipurpose rooms.
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Gerald Darmanin
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