Louvre Machete Attack (2017)
The Louvre Machete Attack took place on February 3, 2017, in Paris, France, when a lone assailant, Abdullah Reda al-Hamamy, armed with a machete, attempted to attack soldiers guarding the Louvre museum. During the incident, he injured one soldier before being shot by the military personnel, who responded to the threat after trying to subdue him with nonlethal measures. The attacker was hospitalized in critical condition but later recovered. Although the assailant initially denied any ties to terrorist organizations, authorities found evidence suggesting he had expressed sympathy for radical Islamist causes on social media. The incident occurred in a context of heightened security in Paris due to previous terrorist attacks, leading to increased military presence at cultural landmarks. The Louvre, one of the world's most visited museums, was briefly evacuated and closed, but reopened within a day. The attack underscored ongoing concerns about security and terrorism in France, particularly in relation to its cultural heritage.
Subject Terms
Louvre Machete Attack (2017)
Date: February 3, 2017
Place: Paris, France
Summary
The Louvre machete attack was an alleged terror attack that occurred near the iconic Louvre museum in Paris, France, in February 2017. A lone assailant, wielding a machete, attempted to attack French soldiers patrolling the building, injuring one soldier before being shot and taken into custody.
Key Events
- February 3, 2017—Lone man armed with a machete attacks soldiers guarding the Louvre museum in Paris.
Status
As of March 2017, the Egyptian national who attacked guards at the Louvre had denied any official connection to any existing terrorist organization. The suspect's father gave an interview to reporters claiming that his son had not been radicalized and was not a terrorist; he further accused French authorities of claiming a terrorist motivation to cover up for the soldiers using excessive force in the shooting. In the days following the attack, however, investigators revealed that a Twitter account believed to belong to the suspect featured content that seemed to express sympathy for the radical Islamist cause in Syria. Prosecutors stated their intention to charge the suspect, who then remained hospitalized but was no longer in critical condition, with "attempted terrorist murders" and "terrorist criminal conspiracy." The Louvre, which reopened within twenty-four hours of the attack and was still the world's most visited museum in 2015, has lost visitors (particularly international visitors) since the Parisian government heightened security around the city in the wake of the 2015 terrorist attacks in the city and elsewhere in France. Despite investigations of the suspect's friends and family, authorities have not found any links between the attacker and any established terrorist organization.
In-Depth Overview
France's capital city of Paris has been the site of several high-profile terrorist attacks, beginning with the January 2015 shooting at the offices of satirical publication Charlie Hebdo. Attackers shot and killed twelve people, most of them employees of the magazine, for publishing depictions of the prophet Muhammad, which is prohibited in the Islamic faith. In November 2015, a series of coordinated terrorist attacks occurred in and around Paris, killing 130 in total and injuring more than 300. The Syrian radical group known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) claimed responsibility for the November attacks. Then, in July 2016, a lone attacker drove a truck onto the Promenade des Anglais in the city of Nice, killing more than eighty people before police were able to kill the attacker and stop the vehicle. Since 2015, the French government has expanded security in major cities, and landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre museum in Paris, one of the most popular museums in the world, have been under guard by the French military in an effort to protect both citizens and tourists as well as the nation's cultural and artistic heritage.
On February 3, 2017, at approximately 10:00 a.m. local time, an Egyptian man reportedly visiting France on a tourist visa attempted to attack a group of soldiers guarding the Carrousel du Louvre, an underground shopping center that serves as one of the primary entrances into the Louvre. The assailant, said to be carrying two bags, attacked one soldier with a machete, allegedly shouting "Allahu akbar," or "God is great." According to statements from security official Benoit Brulon and police chief Michel Cadot, a group of four soldiers patrolling the Carrousel du Louvre first tried to restrain the attacker using nonlethal measures but were forced to open fire. The soldiers reported firing five shots, with some reports indicating that the attacker was hit four times and was in critical condition when he was taken to the hospital for treatment. Visitors to the museum were temporarily confined to the building's safe areas while authorities secured the museum and delivered the suspect, under guard, to the hospital, after which the museum was evacuated and closed for the remainder of the day. Later that day, President François Hollande released a statement praising the soldiers' response to the incident and claiming that the attack was likely terrorist in nature.
By February 4, the press reported that the Egyptian Ministry of Interior had identified the attacker as Abdullah Reda al-Hamamy, an Egyptian citizen. French authorities suspect that he had arrived in Paris from the United Arab Emirates on January 26 via a legal tourist visa. The suspect reportedly rented an apartment in an upscale neighborhood near Champs-Elysees Avenue. Egyptian officials also stated that the suspect had no known history of criminal activity and was not suspected of being a member of a terrorist group. The police investigation revealed that the suspect had visited a local weapons vendor, where he allegedly purchased two machetes. Police also searched the suspect's two bags and found cans of spray paint but no evidence of explosives. After speaking to the suspect, police reported that the attacker's intention was to use spray paint to deface artworks within the museum, hoping that the destruction of important cultural artifacts would send a political message to the French people.
Key Figures
Michel Cadot: Chief of police in Paris.
Abdullah Reda al-Hamamy: Man suspected of attacking French soldiers guarding the Louvre in Paris.
François Hollande: President of France.
Bibliography
Dearden, L. (2017, February 9). Le Louvre attack suspect denies acting under ISIS orders after Twitter messages show support for "Islamic State." Independent. Retrieved from http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/le-louvre-attack-soldiers-machete-stabbing-abdallah-el-hamahmy-paris-isis-islamic-state-twitter-a7572291.html
Louvre attack: My son is no terrorist, says suspect's father. (2017, February 4). BBC News. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-38868971
Louvre museum reopens; Egypt identifies machete attacker. (2017, February 4). Los Angeles Times. Retrieved from http://www.latimes.com/world/la-fg-louvre-reopens-20170204-story.html
Mulholland, R., & Burke, L. (2017, February 3). Louvre terror attack: Egyptian man "who arrived in France in January" shot five times after attacking soldier with machete. The Telegraph. Retrieved from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/02/03/paris-knife-attack-louvre-evacuated-police-reportedly-shoot/
Rubin, A. J., & Breeden, A. (2017, February 3). Assailant near Louvre is shot by French soldier. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/03/world/europe/louvre-paris-shooting-soldier.html
Smith-Spark, L., & Goehler, L. (2017, February 3). Louvre knife attack: Soldier shoots assailant near Paris museum. CNN. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/03/europe/france-paris-louvre-incident/