President Macron of France labels the event as “Islamist terrorism” while the suspect is detained by police.
The incident took place just before 4:00pm (15:00 GMT) during a demonstration on Saturday in Mulhouse. French channel BFM TV, referencing the local prosecutor’s office, provided this information.
A civilian was killed while attempting to intervene, and three police officers were injured, as per the prosecutor’s office.
Investigations into this incident are now under the purview of France’s national anti-terrorist prosecutors. Security measures have been put in place, and military units, along with forensic experts, are on-site to gather evidence.
Public prosecutor of Mulhouse, Nicolas Heitz, informed AFP that the 37-year-old suspect is on a “terror prevention” watchlist called FSPRT, which was established in 2015 following attacks on the offices of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo and a Jewish supermarket.
Mulhouse’s mayor, Michele Lutz, expressed her distress, stating that “horror has struck our city”.
French President Emmanuel Macron referred to the stabbing as an act of “Islamist terrorism”. He stated, “Undoubtedly, this is an act of Islamist terrorism,” to journalists on the fringes of the annual French agricultural show, also mentioning the imminent arrival of the interior minister in Mulhouse.
Prime Minister Francois Bayrou said, “Fanaticism has struck again and we mourn.”
As the investigation progresses, the national anti-terrorist prosecutor’s office has registered the stabbing as a murder and attempted murder “in connection with a terrorist enterprise”.
