A wave of reactions across Europe has been sparked by an armed attack by a Syrian refugee in France, which resulted in the injury of six people, including four children. The incident took place in a park located in the French Alps, specifically in the village of Annecy in the southeast near the border with Switzerland.
He started stabbing children in their prams indiscriminately
The incident happened in a park in the village of Annecy where at the time there were children accompanied by parents, grandparents.
Suddenly a man holding a knife appears and starts stabbing them as some are in their strollers. He ran away from the scene and attacked an old man he found on his way. The police intervened, shot him in the legs and then handcuffed him. Two children and an old man are fighting for their lives. The Police report that the perpetrator is a 45-year-old Syrian asylum seeker. In addition, the perpetrator is said to have previously secured asylum from Sweden.
Former Liverpool footballer Anthony Le Tallec was one of the people who gave evidence about the incident and said he saw the attacker stabbing an elderly man who was in the park at the time.
According to the Police, the perpetrator who was arrested by the authorities does not appear to have relations with Islamist organizations. His motives are still being investigated.
French President Emmanuel Macron said in his remarks that the nation is in a state of shock, describing it as an act of absolute cowardice.
Reactions
In social media, the issue is linked by many to the mass immigration that has existed in Europe in recent years.
In Paris, MPs and members of the government observed a minute's silence in the National Assembly.
The president of the National Assembly, Yael Bron-Pivet, called for a minute's silence "for the children, for their families", after this "very serious" attack.
Prime Minister Elisabeth Bourne and Gerald Darmanen are expected on the ground, aides told AFP.
"Terrible attack this morning in Paquier in Annecy. All my thoughts to the victims and their families," Mayor François Astorg wrote on Twitter, urging the public to avoid the Paquier area.
The entire political world reacted immediately.
"Horror gripped us all," wrote on Twitter the president of the Renaissance parliamentary group (presidential majority) in the National Assembly Oror Berge, while Eric Cioti (The Republicans, right) spoke of "tremendous emotion and great anger."
"The investigation will determine the circumstances, but it seems that the perpetrator had the same profile that we often find in these attacks. We must draw all the conclusions without naivety, with strength and clarity", he added, speaking to the National Assembly.
“How is that possible? Attack on children! Hit them with a knife! It broke our hearts to live through it," said Jean-Luc Mélenchon (Insubordinate France, radical left) for his part.
"Horror and terror," said Marine Le Pen of the National Alarm (RN, far right) for her part.
Source: AlphaNews.Live