Churches burned in Paris: a man arrested
A 47-year-old man was arrested early Wednesday afternoon as part of the investigation into the burned churches in Paris, we learned this Thursday, January 26 from the Paris prosecutor’s office. For the moment, he is only suspected of having attacked the Saint-Laurent Church (10th).
Action reaction. Only a few hours after someone tried to set fire to the entrance doors of the Saint-Laurent Church, located on Boulevard Magenta in the 10th arrondissement in Paris, a 47-year-old man was arrested, suspected of having thrown this outbreak of fire during the night of January 24 to 25, without causing any injuries.
after the church #StMartinDesChampsthis is the church #StLaurent which was targeted this morning by a fire on the main door.
These attacks on religious buildings and this heritage are unacceptable.
I address a message of support to these two parishes of the 10th. pic.twitter.com/nFDWQjP1Md
— Fort Bertil (@BertilFort) January 25, 2023
Placed in custody
He was placed in police custody on the count of “degradation by dangerous means on account of religion”. Impossible to know at this stage if he could also be the arsonist who attacked another church in the district, the Saint-Martin des Champs church, located rue Albert-Thomas (10th).
A little further, another church – the sanctuary of Our Lady of Fatima, in the 19th – had also been targeted twice, on January 17 and 22. Without causing any injury.
Asked about this yesterday, the first deputy mayor of Paris Emmanuel Grégoire said he was “extremely worrying” by these “very serious” facts, “unambiguous” on the fact that it lives above all “religious buildings”. A “political act”, according to the elected official, who concedes that it will take time “to confuse the culprit (s)” and “to know the deep motivations” of such gestures.
Explaining that he wanted to “act very strongly”, the first deputy had also announced that he had taken legal measures, “with the filing of complaints”, and preventive measures, “with the mobilization of municipal and national police” to ensure the protection of these buildings and prevent further damage from occurring.