“It’s serious, shocking and shameful,” denounces Mayor Stéphan Rossignol.

“It is serious, shocking and shameful to see that today, once again, the Jewish community is affected.”reacted Saturday August 24 on franceinfo Stéphan Rossignol, the mayor of La Grande-Motte in Hérault, after the fire of vehicles followed by an explosion in front of the town’s synagogue. He recalls
that there is a Jewish community in his city “important”. “This is an attack against the Jewish community”he believes.

“There was no special surveillance”adds Stéphan Rossignol, because – according to him – there was no “no elements” indicating a particular threat. “But the police station is opposite the synagogue, we can’t be any closer, and then there are the city cameras and the synagogue is also equipped with cameras, so it was difficult to plan more.”assures the mayor of the city. From now on, security in front of this synagogue will be reinforced. Gérald Darmanin, the resigning Minister of the Interior, has asked all the prefects of France to “immediately strengthen the static presence of law enforcement” in front of all Jewish places of worship in France.

City cameras “are being viewed”. “We do not know if the individual has left the city or if he is still in the city”says Stephan Rossignol regarding the alleged suspect in the fires. The mayor assures that “The individual in question failed to enter the synagogue, although that was clearly his objective.”Only the doors of the synagogue were affected by the flames.

Regarding the injured municipal police officer, Stéphan Rossignol indicates that “his condition seems less serious than expected”. The officer “was propelled by the impact of the exploding gas cylinder” And “thrown to the ground”. He is being examined at the Montpellier University Hospital. “but his condition does not inspire concern” at this stage.