By Natalia Rueda 
n a scene of absolute cowardice, a 32-year-old Syrian refugee launched an unprovoked knife attack in a park in Annecy, in the French Alps, seriously injuring four children and an adult. The victims were between 22 months and three years old, and one of the minors is of Dutch nationality while another is British.
The French police and Prosecutor’s Office have ruled out terrorism as a motive for the attack as no evidence currently points such a direction. Annecy prosecutor Lisa Bonet-Mathis stated that the “attack has been an act of absolute cowardice”. Both Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin and Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne have visited the site of the attack, offering their condolences and praise to the agents and emergency services involved.
The attacker, a 31-year-old Syrian national with refugee status in Sweden, was arrested four minutes after beginning the attack and was found carrying a cross and a Christian prayer book. He has no criminal history nor mental health issues.
The majority of those injured were tourists in the area. French President Emmanuel Macron called the attack “hateful, unspeakable”, adding that the nation was “in shock”.
The video of the attack, recorded by a bystander, has been broadcast across the French media and shows the attacker in the playground with a knife in hand, chasing and attacking those present. The swift actions of a man carrying a backpack were able to stop him from inflicting further harm.
The events of this summer in Annecy have provoked a wave of shock and sadness for the victims and their families. The local community and those around the world are hoping for the recovery of those seriously injured and that justice is swiftly served for the attacker.
After the news of the attack broke out, the National Assembly in Paris observed a minute of silence before continuing its debate on pension reform. The opposition has accused the head of the macronist majority, Aurore Bergé, of “instrumentalizing” the attack and has called for a halt of the debate until further notice.
At the moment, the attacker is being detained by authorities while they investigate into the incident. In the meantime, the families of the victims and the rescue teams are receiving the support and thoughts of people across the country.