The latest spate of evacuations in France has seen the Palace of Versailles and three airports in Lyon, Toulouse, and Lille temporarily close for security reasons on Wednesday. The Palace of Versailles apologized to visitors for the inconvenience and stated that it reopened after security checks. This marked the third time in the past weekend that the palace had to be evacuated. The airports in Lyon, Toulouse, and Lille received emailed threats, but they all reopened after security checks were conducted.
These recent evacuations come in the wake of a series of security alerts in France, including at the Louvre Museum in Paris. These threats followed the killing of a teacher in Arras by a suspected Islamist extremist. However, the threats have so far turned out to be false. The Louvre Museum and the Chateau of Versailles were evacuated on Saturday, with the latter being evacuated again on Tuesday.
Government spokesman Olivier Veran emphasized that the security alerts and evacuations should not instill fear in the country. He stated that a vigilant society is preferable to giving in to fear and terror. Veran assured that security alerts are evaluated individually in collaboration with the police. The prefecture for the Lyon region warned the public about the legal repercussions of spreading false information.
In Nice, an abandoned piece of luggage briefly disrupted operations at the airport. Additionally, the high school in Arras, where the teacher was murdered, was evacuated on Monday as a precaution. It remains unclear whether the security threats are related to the teacher’s murder or if France is experiencing repercussions from the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
To address the heightened security concerns, France has raised its threat alert level, deploying an additional 7,000 soldiers to join the existing 3,000 already patrolling sensitive areas such as Jewish places of worship, schools, and train stations. The suspect involved in the teacher’s stabbing reportedly pledged allegiance to the terrorist group ISIS.
In conclusion, France has recently faced a series of security threats and evacuations, impacting tourist attractions and airports. The country is maintaining a vigilant stance to ensure safety while emphasizing the importance of not succumbing to fear or terror.