Gérald Darmanin asked the prefects on Wednesday to ensure “a maximum of police presence” in front of the synagogues, while the month of “Tishri” begins on Monday and until the end of September.
A period marked by several major Jewish holidays.
Due to the "very high level of the terrorist threat", the Minister of the Interior invites the prefects to take measures to "strengthen the security of places of Jewish gatherings and worship", in a telegram.
"Thank you for ensuring a maximum physical police presence in front of places of worship," he added, in hand, at the end of his letter.
Limit the number of accesses to places of worship
In particular, they are recommended to limit the number of accesses to places of worship, to carry out "visual checks" among the flow of faithful, to prohibit traffic and parking nearby, if necessary, and to ensure at the same time " a visible static presence ”and“ dynamic ”patrols during celebratory hours.
The soldiers of Operation “Sentinel” could also be deployed around “the most sensitive or emblematic places and buildings”.
From next Monday will follow the feasts of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, Yom Kippur, or "Great Pardon", day of fasting, prayer and confession of faults (September 15-16), Sukkot, the feast of huts, which recalls the time when the Hebrews lived in tents after leaving Egypt (September 20-29) and, finally, the Simhat Torah (28-29).
Gérald Darmanin had made the same request last March to the prefects, with the approach of Easter, Passover, and Ramadan.
