One dead and police hurt in knife attack in France
One person has been killed and three police officers injured in a knife attack in the eastern French city of Mulhouse.
A 37-year-old Algerian man was arrested at the scene and the prosecutor has opened a terrorist inquiry because the suspect reportedly shouted “Allahu Akbar”, or “God is great”.
The man injured two police officers seriously, one in the neck and one in the chest. A 69-year-old Portuguese man who tried to intervene was stabbed and killed.
The suspect was subject to a deportation order because he was on a terrorism watch list, according to the local prosecutor. President Emmanuel Macron said there was “no doubt it was an Islamist terrorist attack”.
After expressing his condolences to the family of the victim, Macron added: “I want to reiterate the determination of the government, and mine, to continue the work to eradicate terrorism on our soil.”
The attack took place at about 16:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on Saturday near a busy market in Mulhouse, which is close to the borders with Germany and Switzerland.
The police officers were on patrol at a demonstration taking place in support of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
“I have lived in France for 41 years and I have never experienced something like this,” Cemalettin Canak, 55, told the Reuters news agency.
“It has shocked me a lot,” he added. “Now when I go to the market, I will be a little nervous.”
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