ARRAS, FRANCE – A fatal knife attack occurred at a high school in Arras, northern France, on Friday, resulting in the death of a teacher and serious injuries to at least two others. The assailant, a man, launched his attack on the premises of Gambetta High School. Eyewitness accounts and videos from the incident depicted several individuals, including one using a chair as a shield, attempting to stop the attacker as he neared the school building.
Law enforcement responded swiftly to the incident, leading to the evacuation of the school and the arrest of the attacker. Gerald Darmanin, the Interior Minister, confirmed the police operation via Twitter. The local police chief also used social media to inform the public about the ongoing operation and advised people to steer clear of the area. He later updated that the operation had concluded and the area was secure.
Reports from French media identified the attacker as a Chechen man. His brother was also apprehended by the police. A representative from a local teacher’s union revealed to the press that the attacker was a former student of the high school. The representative further disclosed that the student’s teachers had previously expressed concerns about his radicalization.
French President Emmanuel Macron, who visited the site of the attack, praised the deceased teacher, stating that his actions had “undoubtedly saved many lives.” The National Assembly, France’s congress, suspended its session on Friday morning in response to the attack. The country’s counterterrorism agency has initiated an investigation into the incident for murder and attempted murder with a terrorist motive.
France was on high alert on Friday following calls by Hamas, the militant group, for a global “Day of Jihad” in protest against Israel’s airstrikes on the Gaza Strip. France is home to the largest populations of Muslims and Jews in Europe.