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France 'protects' thousands of churches for Easter: minister

World

France 'protects' thousands of churches for Easter: minister

By Agence France-Presse

PARIS, France - France's Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin on Sunday said 13,500 police and anti-terror soldiers had been deployed outside 4,530 churches to protect them against any "terrorism" as they celebrate Easter.

Gerald Darmanin — (FILES) French Interior and Overseas Minister Gerald Darmanin (L) looks during a visit in Mamoudzou on the French Indian Ocean island of Mayotte, on June 24, 2023. Gerald Darmanin announced on February 11, 2024 a constitutional amendment to eliminate "Jus Soli", the acquisition of citizenship by birth within a territory, on the Indian Ocean island of Mayotte, which faces an ongoing migration crisis. (Photo by Chafion MADI / AFP)

"Law enforcement forces are present everywhere nationwide from Good Friday to Easter Monday to protect services in an extremely difficult context in which terrorism could hit," he said.

"There are 13,500 police officers, gendarmes and (anti-terror) military personnel at 4,350 Christian places of worship, Catholic and Protestant," he added.

France has raised its security alert to the highest level after an attack claimed by the Islamic State jihadist group at a concert hall in the Russian capital on March 22 claimed 144 lives.

France has been rocked by a series of deadly jihadist attacks in recent years.

Two planned attacks have been foiled since the start of the year.

One involved "violent action against a Catholic religious building" by a man "clearly committed to jihadist ideology", according to the national anti-terrorist prosecutor's office.

The 62-year-old was arrested and remanded in custody in early March, prosecutors said.

Catholics and Protestants are commemorating the resurrection of Jesus this Sunday, while Orthodox Christians will wait until May 6.

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