Murdered French teacher's school evacuated over bomb threat

A high school in northern France, where a French teacher was fatally stabbed last Friday, was evacuated on Monday morning following a bomb alert, as President Macron vowed "ruthless" approach towards extremists and cut short travel plans abroad to host a security meeting.

French military servicemen stand guard in front of the Gambetta high school in Arras during its evacuation after a bomb threat on October 16, 2023, three days after a teacher was killed and two other people were severely wounded at the school. AFP - DENIS CHARLET

The prefecture of the northern Pas-de-Calais region said the decision was made to evacuate the Lycee Gambetta high school in Arras after police received a bomb threat via its website.

While there were no classes scheduled on Monday at the high school, its doors were open for pupils and staff to pay tribute to teacher Dominique Bernard, who was killed by a 20-year-old former pupil in what the government has described as an Islamist terror attack.

The bomb alert occurred as French middle and high schools were set to hold a minute of silence for the teacher on Monday afternoon.

Friday’s knife attack, coming almost three years to the day after the beheading of history teacher Samuel Paty by an Islamist militant, has triggered a major security response.

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France has increased its attack alert level and up to 7,000 soldiers are to be deployed by Monday night, and until further notice, to bolster security and vigilance around the country.

On Saturday, the Louvre Museum and Versailles Palace evacuated visitors and staff after receiving bomb threats. 

School "a sanctuary"

In a message to teachers and other school workers posted on X, formerly Twitter, President Emmanuel Macron said “we took action, we are taking action and we will continue to take action to ensure that school remains a sanctuary for our students and for all those who work there”.

“To blind hatred, we will always oppose the inextinguishable thirst for teaching. The thirst for knowledge. The thirst for living free," he added.

Earlier on Monday Macron called for a “ruthless” approach towards extremists.

He has reportedly told ministers to "embody a state that is ruthless towards all those who harbour hate and terrorist ideologies".

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The killing of teacher Bernard has further increased nervousness in France, which has large Muslim and Jewish populations and has been on alert since the attack on Israel by Islamist militant group Hamas on 7 October.

Early lessons were cancelled in middle and high schools on Monday to allow teachers to discuss the attack and how to deal with it in class.

Nevertheless, "we will not allow terrorism to bring our country to a standstill", Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said on Monday.

Macron would chair a new national security meeting later on Monday, the Elysee said.

(with newswires)