France will not give up its values, including freedom of speech, despite all the intimidation, said French government spokesman Gabriel Attal.
The announcement came after armed attacks in several French cities on Thursday. The guard of the French consulate in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia was also attacked.
An unidentified person attacked people with a knife in Notre Dame Church in Nice on Thursday morning. Three people were killed and the throat of one of the victims was cut. It is reported that several people were killed. The perpetrator of the attack was detained by law enforcement agencies.
Nice Mayor Christian Estrozi said the attacker had not stopped repeating “Allahu Akbar”. “Everything shows that what happened is terrorism,” the mayor stressed.
The anti-terrorist department of the prosecutor’s office is investigating the attack. French President Emmanuel Macron has arrived at the scene.
The anti-terrorist program Vigipirate has been launched throughout France after the attack on the church in Nice, said Prime Minister Jean Castex.
“The government’s response will be firm, relentless and immediate. I have already decided to launch the Vigipirate program across the country,” Castex told the French National Assembly.
The Prime Minister also stressed that President Emmanuel Macron will convene a meeting of the Security Council on Friday morning.
