The Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, decorated the “very discreet everyday heroes” on Monday in Rouen. These police officers and firefighters intervened on Friday in the fire at the city’s synagogue, caused by a man who was then shot dead by the police.
“I see that these police officers, these gendarmes, these firefighters, these caregivers, these public agents do a discreet, very difficult job. We often look for heroes in our country (…). We have very discreet heroes close to home, I think we need to highlight them,” declared the minister at the end of the internal security medal ceremony at the Rouen prefecture.
A message “to protect the Jews of France”
Friday morning, a 24-year-old man of illegal Algerian nationality set fire to the Rouen synagogue around 6:30 a.m., according to the prosecution. The man threatened a police officer with a knife, who shot and killed the attacker.
The minister also “renewed” a message of “protection of the Jews of France”. “Let our Jewish compatriots, like all French people under threat, (…) know that the French Republic (…) will protect them at all costs, in all situations. And that it is our duty and our honor,” added Gérald Darmanin.