Louvre Museum in Paris evacuated after bomb threat
The Louvre Museum in Paris has been evacuated after a bomb threat. Thousands of visitors and staff were escorted from the building and the hugely popular attraction was closed early Saturday because of a written warning. Parents were seen dragging children towards the exits as alarms rang out through the vast museum in central Paris overlooking the Seine River. The evacuation was announced at 11am with tourists seen flooding out of the underground shopping centre beneath its iconic art gallery’s glass pyramid. A spokesperson for the museum the response was linked to the government’s decision to put France on high alert after a fatal school stabbing by a suspected extremist. “The Louvre received a written message stating that there was a risk to the museum and its visitors”, a spokeswoman told AFP after announcing the closure on social media. “We have decided... to evacuate and close it for the day, while we carry out the necessary checks”. The Louvre communication service added that no-one had been hurt. Videos posted online showed people leaving, some hurriedly and some stopping to take photos, others apparently confused about what was happening. It came as the French government raised the threat alert level and is deploying 7,000 troops to increase security after Friday’s school attack. French authorities say a former student suspected of Islamic radicalization killed a teacher and wounded three other people before being captured. Dominique Bernard, 57, a French literature teacher, was stabbed to death in the courtyard of the Gambetta-Carnot secondary school in Arras on Friday. Three other members of staff were injured, two of them critically. The suspect, identified by prosecutors as Mohamed M., who has been arrested, was a former student of the Lycee Gambetta high school where the attack happened, a police source said. One of the attackers’ brothers was also detained nearby. Numerous witnesses heard Friday’s attacker shouting “Allahu Akbar”, according to prosecutor Jean-Francois Ricard. The government is also concerned about fallout in France from the war between Israel and Hamas. The Louvre, home to masterpieces such as the Mona Lisa, welcomes between 30,000 and 40,000 visitors per day. Read More The Louvre Museum in Paris is being evacuated after a threat while France is under high alert Scientists winkle a secret from the `Mona Lisa' about how Leonardo painted the masterpiece Russia and US say attacks by Putin’s forces in east are ‘new offensive’ - live Russia and US say attacks by Putin’s forces in east are ‘new offensive’ - live Reuters videographer killed in southern Lebanon by Israeli shelling is laid to rest Russia pounds Ukraine’s Avdiivka for fourth straight day
2023-10-14 22:28
Tel Aviv Open canceled because of the Israel-Hamas war
The Tel Aviv Open tennis tournament scheduled for next month has been canceled because of the Israel-Hamas war
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Michael Caine announces retirement, confirming 'The Great Escaper' will be his last film
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2023-10-14 22:26
IMF countries to boost funding by year-end, Israel-Gaza war weighs on outlook
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2023-10-14 22:21
Louisiana Republicans face first test in effort to flip governor's office
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2023-10-14 21:29
Ukraine-Russia war – live: Moscow and US say attacks by Putin’s forces in east are ‘new offensive’
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2023-10-14 21:24
The Voice: Australians vote No in historic referendum
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2023-10-14 21:23
Amid a mental health crisis, toy industry takes on a new role: building resilience
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2023-10-14 21:18
Jordan faces grim prospects in speaker's fight after whirlwind week for House GOP
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2023-10-14 21:16
'Frasier' reboot, 'Goosebumps' and 98 Degrees have us wondering... are we back in the '90s?
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2023-10-14 21:16
Mexican American woman becomes first NCAA Division I female kicker at an HBCU
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2023-10-14 20:50
Gaza Strip in maps: What it's like for the people that live there
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2023-10-14 20:26
