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A police official was injured after being stabbed with a knife in Cannes, southern France, and his assailant has been “neutralised”, said French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin on Monday.
The attack in Cannes comes as worries over violent crime and terrorism feature among voters’ main concerns in the run-up to the 2022 French presidential election.
“I am going to the scene immediately this morning and I offer my support to the national police and to the city of Cannes,” added Darmanin on his Twitter account.
Un policier du commissariat de #Cannes a été blessé à l’arme blanche. L’agresseur a été neutralisé par ses collègues. Je me rends sur place immédiatement ce matin et j’apporte tout mon soutien à la police nationale et à la ville de Cannes.
— Gérald DARMANIN (@GDarmanin) November 8, 2021
The policeman was behind the wheel of a car in front of a police station at 6.30am when the attacker opened the door of the vehicle and stabbed him with a knife, a police source speaking on condition of anonymity told AFP.
The officer was saved thanks to his bullet-proof vest, sources said.
The attacker was severely injured by another police officer and was in serious condition.
The sources said police were treating the incident as a possible terrorist attack.
On April 23, a police administrative assistant was killed when an attacker stabbed her at the entrance to a police station in the Parisian suburb of Rambouillet. The attacker, a 36-year-old Tunisian national, was shot dead by security forces.
(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS)
Source : france24
