France: a knife attack in an Annecy park, children injured
Five people, including four children, were injured Thursday morning, June 8 in a park in Annecy (east) by a man armed with a knife and who was arrested by the police.
The man, armed with a knife, attacked children aged about three years who were in a park near Lake Annecy at around 9:45 am (7:45 GMT). AFP - JEAN-PIERRE CLATOT
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The nation is in shock," the French president said on Twitter. "Our thoughts are with them as well as their families and the mobilized relief," added Emmanuel Macron.
The man, armed with a knife, attacked at around 9:45 am (7:45 GMT) children aged about three years who were in a park near Lake Annecy. Three of the victims have a life-threatening prognosis, according to a source close to the case to AFP. According to the identity declared by the attacker, he is a Syrian national, born in 1991, an asylum seeker and unknown to all files, according to a police source. The terrorist nature or not of the attack is being evaluated, according to a source close to the case.
Immediately, French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin posted a tweet: "Several people including children were injured by an individual armed with a knife in a square in Annecy. The individual was arrested thanks to the very rapid intervention of the police."
According to the daily Dauphiné Libéré, the victims were transferred to the Annecy Genevois hospital and the witnesses were transported to a building near the scene of the tragedy, whose surroundings were cordoned off by a large police force.
Deputies and members of the government observed a minute of silence in the National Assembly on Thursday after the attack. Assembly President Yaël Braun-Pivet invited to this minute of silence "for them, for their families", after this "extremely serious attack". Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne will visit the site, Matignon told AFP.
Several people including children were injured by an individual armed with a knife in a square in Annecy. The individual was arrested thanks to the very rapid intervention of the police.
— Gérald DARMANIN (@GDarmanin) June 8, 2023
Chain reactions
The entire political class reacted immediately. "Fear grips us all," tweeted the president of the Renaissance group in the Assembly, Aurore Bergé, while Eric Ciotti (LR) reported an "immense emotion and great anger!" The investigation will determine the conditions, but it appears that the perpetrator has the same profile that is often found in these attacks. It will be necessary to draw all the consequences without naivety, with strength and lucidity, "he added to the Assembly.
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How is that possible? Attacking little ones! Hit them with a knife! Our heart is in tatters having to live it, "abounded for his part Jean-Luc Mélenchon. "The horror. Emotion and anger, "wrote the boss of the socialist deputies Boris Vallaud, on the same social network. "Fright and horror," said Marine Le Pen.
The president of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, where the facts took place, Laurent Wauquiez (LR), denounced for his part "the horror, again". "This attack on children is the height of the abomination," he added, thanking the "police officers for the courage they showed in arresting the assailant."
(
with AFP)
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