Louvre Museum, Versailles palace evacuated after bomb threats

Patrick Hilsman & Don Jacobson
·2 min read
UPI
The Louvre Museum in Paris, along with the Palace of Versailles, were evacuated due to bomb threats Saturday as France was put on a heightened terrorism alert. File Photo by David Silpa/UPI

Oct. 14 (UPI) -- The Louvre Museum and the Palace of Versailles were evacuated due to bomb threats on Saturday as France was put on high security alert a day after a teacher was stabbed to death in the city of Arras.

The Parisian landmarks were closed during the afternoon after receiving threats, according to police sources cited by broadcaster FranceInfo.

Managers of the Louvre announced its closure for the day, citing "security reasons."

Later on Saturday, officials at the Palace of Versailles closed the tourist hotspot and its surrounding gardens without confirming a reason. Videos posted on social media platform X showed an alarm sounding in the castle during an evacuation.

The evacuations came as France was put on a nationwide terrorism security alert after a teacher was killed Friday in the city of Arras, located about 115 miles north of Paris.

Two staff members, including a security guard who is reportedly in critical condition, were injured in a knife attack at the Gambetta School.

Eleven people have been arrested in connection with the case, Franceinfo reported citing police sources, with the main suspect identified as a former Gambetta student who was known to the police for having links to Islamic extremists.

The situation prompted French President Emmanuel Macron to mobilize up to 7,000 security officers across the country over the weekend during a heightened terrorist alert.

Macron thanked law enforcement and police for their fast response during a visit to Arras on Thursday.

"I wanted to be present today in Arras. Here, in this school that has been struck once again by the barbarity of Islamist terrorism," he said. "I would like to congratulate and Salute the responsiveness of the internal security services, the judiciary, and the rescue and care services.

"The police were able to intervene a few minutes, four minutes, after the call. And it is because of the speed of their reaction and the great professionalism of our police officers that we were undoubtedly able to avoid an even more serious result," he said.