Palace of Versailles, Louvre Museum evacuated after bomb threats amid ‘high alert’ in France

The Louvre Museum in Paris and the Palace of Versailles were evacuated on Saturday (Oct 14) after receiving bomb threats, according to news agency AFP. This comes a day after the country raised the alert level to the highest and decided to deploy 7,000 soldiers across the country to maintain stability and peace.

Palace of Versailles, Louvre Museum evacuated

A report by AFP citing police sources said that the Palace of Versailles was being evacuated after an alert came via an anonymous message online, adding that the palace – a major tourist attraction – would be closed at least for the rest of the day.

Earlier on Saturday, the Louvre Museum in Paris also evacuated all visitors and staff after receiving a written threat and will remain closed “for security reasons”.

Paris police said verifications in the museum are underway. According to reports, alarms went off in the vast museum in central Paris when the evacuation was announced and the police have since cordoned off its signature pyramid from all sides, and the underground access.

The spokeswoman for the Louvre, the largest museum in the world, told AFP it had “received a written message stating that there was a risk to the museum and its visitors.”

She added, “We have decided in the current national context of an ‘emergency attack’ alert to evacuate and close it for the day, while we carry out the necessary checks.”

France on ‘high alert’

France was put on its highest alert after a Chechen-origin man fatally stabbed a teacher and severely wounded three others on Friday (Oct 13) in the northeastern town of Arras.

Police in Arras have since arrested the suspected attacker identified as Mohammed Moguchkov, who had cried an Arabic phrase before the fatal stabbing.

There was “probably a link between what’s happening in the Middle East and this incident,” said Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin.

The country has also decided to deploy 7,000 soldiers across the country to maintain stability and peace. According to the Elysee presidential palace, the deployment of the soldiers from Operation Sentinelle will be completed by Monday (Oct 16) evening.

(With inputs from agencies)

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