Explosion outside synagogue in southern France injures police officer

Two cars set on fire outside a synagogue in southern France on Saturday caused an explosion in which a police officer was injured, authorities said.

Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin called the incident near the Beth Yaacov synagogue in La Motte near Montpellier on the southern French coast "an obviously criminal act".

He said "all means are being deployed to find the perpetrator".

Both Darmanin and Prime Minister Gabriel Attal were to travel to the site of the explosion later Saturday.

The explosion was likely caused by a gas canister hidden in one of the cars, police said.

La Motte, which has around 8,500 permanent residents, is a popular seaside resort and visited by more than 100,000 tourists every year.

Earlier this month, Darmanin said that the government had counted 887 anti-Semitic acts in France in the first half of 2024, nearly three times as many as in the same period in 2023.