Fire in front of the synagogue of La Grande-Motte: five people, including the rabbi, were inside, details on the explosion

Le dernier passage de la gendarmerie devant la synagogue de La Grande-Motte datait de 8 heures ce 24 août 2024, juste avant l'explosion. Midi Libre – SYLVIE CAMBON

This Saturday, August 24, 2024, at around 8:30 a.m., an explosion was heard near the Beth Yaacov synagogue in La Grande-Motte. Arriving at the parking lot of the religious building, the Hérault firefighters, the gendarmes of the local brigade and the municipal police discovered several vehicles on fire. A prefectural source provides details on the explosion.

The Beth Yaacov synagogue in La Grande-Motte “is subject, like all synagogues in the department, to a security system. When there are services, there are fixed points of the gendarmerie and regular visits”, explains a prefectural source.

The last visit by the gendarmerie was at 8 a.m., this morning of August 24, 2024. “We were informed of the facts by individuals at 8:21 a.m. to be precise. They described a fire detected in the inner courtyard of the synagogue. The gendarmes, who are just opposite, are there 4 minutes later with the municipal police. They noticed the fire and called the firefighters who arrived around 8:30."

Explosion of a gas cylinder

While waiting, they took a tour of the synagogue. It was at this moment that a municipal police officer was injured by the blast of the fire, “the explosion of a gas cylinder present in one of the vehicles set on fire”, specifies the national anti-terrorist prosecutor's office.

Five people, including the rabbi, inside

Inside the synagogue were five people including the rabbi, who were not injured, underlines the Ministry of Justice. 

“Elements who were in the parking lot of the synagogue have exploded, shares a prefectural source close to the investigation.There was a pergola and gas bottles in this place where the Jewish community organizes social events. Two cars were set on fire, as well as the pergola, the barbecue and the two entrance doors, the one to the place of worship and the one to the meeting room right next door. A car that was parked in front of the synagogue burned completely."

"Deliberate criminal act"

"We are sure that this is a deliberate criminal act that is clearly anti-Semitic. There is a lot of video surveillance on the premises of the synagogue and we are looking for an individual who was seen on the video surveillance", underlines the same prefectural source.

"All the department's patrols are activated. They have two objectives: to monitor all Jewish places of worship in the department and to search for the perpetrator whose photo is available.

National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor's Office

The National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor's Office took up the facts at 11 a.m. and opened an investigation into the charges of attempted murder in connection with a terrorist enterprise; destruction by dangerous means in connection with a terrorist enterprise; terrorist criminal association with a view to preparing crimes against persons.

The investigations have been entrusted to the anti-terrorism sub-directorate (SDAT), the National Police South Directorate and the Internal Security Directorate.

The investigation is continuing in order to allow the arrest of the perpetrator(s) of the acts.