A man was detained by police this Saturday after injuring several passersby with a knife. Police confirmed that Paris was present at Lyon Station during the incident.
Initial assessments described the attack as offensive. Three people were wounded, two lightly and one severely, though none were in life-threatening danger before officers restrained him.
The motives behind the assault remain unknown. According to BFMTV, the assailant made no demands during the confrontation. The channel notes that the detainee is of Malian origin and holds an Italian driver’s license.
The events unfolded around 08:00 in the morning in Hall 3 of Lyon Station, a major rail hub in the southeast part of the capital. For reasons not yet disclosed, the man leaped at passersby with a knife and managed to injure three individuals before security personnel intervened and subdued him.
Law enforcement officers were present at the scene and acted swiftly to bring the situation under control.
France has heightened its counter-terrorism vigilance since October of last year, following a jihadist attack on a teacher in Arras. This prompted a large deployment of security forces, including around 7,000 additional soldiers. Authorities reduced the level of alert on January 15 but kept heightened security measures, particularly in high-traffic areas such as transport hubs, places of worship, and schools. The elevated posture is expected to remain in place until July 26, when the Olympic Games are scheduled to begin. (Source: BFMTV)
Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin later commented on the incident, framing it within a context of heightened tension amid broader regional and international conflicts in the Middle East.