France arrests man over plot targeting Jews and Louvre Museum

A 27-year-old man has been detained in France on suspicion of plotting a violent attack, according to a source familiar with the matter. The individual allegedly sought to target Jewish people and a museum in Paris, without settling on a specific objective, before planning to join the Islamic State (ISIS) in Syria or Mozambique.

French newspaper Le Monde reported that the suspect, arrested on Thursday, had attempted to target the Louvre Museum and Jewish residents in a Parisian district.

Security concerns at the Louvre

Questions about security gaps at the Louvre—the world's most-visited museum—emerged last October when thieves escaped with jewelry valued at $102 million. More recently, French President Emmanuel Macron accepted the resignation of Laurence des Cars, the museum's director, amid fallout from the high-value theft and ongoing staff strikes.

In December of last year, the French General Inspectorate of Cultural Affairs submitted a sharply critical report to the Senate detailing security vulnerabilities at the Louvre that enabled the jewelry heist.

Rise in antisemitic incidents

France, like much of Europe, has seen antisemitic incidents surge to record levels following Israel's aerial and ground campaign in Gaza. That military operation began after an attack by Hamas gunmen on Israel on October 7, 2023.