France: Louvre Museum closed after bomb threats
The Louvre Museum in Paris, France, evacuated all visitors and closed early on Saturday after receiving bomb threats. This closure was a result of verification measures implemented by the French national security alert system Vigipirate, per reports. Meanwhile, France has been on high alert after a man stabbed a teacher to death and injured three others at a school in Arras on Friday.
Watch: Visitors vacating Louvre Museum
Museum closed for security reasons
Around 11:00am (local time) on Saturday, the museum announced it would close early on Saturday for "security reasons." It further stated that anyone who had purchased tickets for the same day would be refunded. The Louvre communication service said that no one was injured and no incidents were reported. Verifications at the museum are still underway, according to the Paris Police.
French government deployed 7,000 troops after Friday's school attack
Separately, after Friday's school attack, the French government raised the threat alert level and deployed 7,000 troops to bolster security. The soldiers will be mobilized by Monday evening. The suspect, a former student of the school, allegedly yelled "Allahu Akbar" before carrying out the attack. Coincidentally, it occurred on the same day that the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas declared a "Global Day of Rage."
Unclear if Friday attack connected to Israel-Hamas war
However, it remains unclear whether Friday's attack is related to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. Regardless, the suspect and his brother were arrested by the police. Over the years, France has been the subject of a series of Islamist attacks, the worst of which was a simultaneous assault by gunmen and suicide bombers on Paris entertainment venues and cafes in November 2015.
France banned pro-Palestine protests
On Thursday, France's Interior Ministry banned all pro-Palestine protests, saying they were "likely to generate disturbances to public order." Reportedly, hundreds of people in Paris came out to support Palestinians, defying the ban. Thousands of protestors also assembled in the Middle East, Asia, Europe, and the United States to support Palestinians and denounce Israel as it intensified its bombardment of Gaza.
Death toll climbs over 3,000
The Palestinian terror group Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on Israel from the Gaza Strip on Saturday. As of Friday, the combined death toll on both sides climbed over 3,000. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated the intense bombing in Gaza was "just the beginning" of Israel's response to the Hamas attack. "We will fight our enemies using power without limit," he said.
