Man attacks gendarme Knife attack at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris

President Macron speaks of an Islamist terrorist attack: a man attacked a gendarme with a knife at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.

Keystone-SDA

13.02.2026, 19:43

13.02.2026, 23:15

SDA

A man armed with a knife attacked a gendarme near the Arc de Triomphe in Paris and died in the attack. The gendarme was not physically injured, according to the public prosecutor's office. French President Emmanuel Macron spoke of an Islamist terrorist attack on Platform X. The anti-terrorism prosecutor's office opened an investigation into attempted murder with a terrorist connection and membership of a terrorist organization.

The attacker was shot by another gendarme during the incident in the early evening and died. The attacker was a Frenchman aged around 47. In 2013, he had been convicted in Brussels for, among other things, the attempted killing of police officers with terrorist motives. He was later transferred to France and was released from prison at the end of December. Even after that, he was still being monitored by the judiciary. He had not only attacked the gendarme with a knife, but also with a pair of scissors.

Macron: Gendarmes prevented the worst

France's Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez spoke of an attempted attack during the preparations for the lighting of the so-called Eternal Flame. This flame below the Arc de Triomphe commemorates deceased soldiers. According to Nuñez, the man had tried to attack someone from the gendarmerie band. The reason for this is not yet known. A gendarme then used his weapon - in accordance with the rules.

Macron wrote on X: "In the face of Islamist terror, the republican flame will always fight back." The gendarmes had ended the attack and prevented the worst.

Unlike police officers, gendarmes are formally part of the French army. As security forces, the police and gendarmerie have different areas of responsibility.