The Louvre Museum in Paris was evacuated and closed on Saturday after receiving a written bomb threat, as France remains on maximum terror alert following a fatal stabbing at a school.
An unnamed police source told local TV that bomb threats were sent to the museum, prompting the evacuation of hundreds of visitors. Footage shared on social media showed crowds leaving the premises, with some tourists reporting commotion and pushing at the exits.
A security perimeter was established around the museum, located on the Right Bank of the Seine, with police officers deployed to the scene. The Louvre's spokesperson confirmed the closure, stating that the museum had received a written message indicating a risk to visitors and staff.
The evacuation comes a day after a teacher was fatally stabbed and three others wounded at the Gambetta-Carnot school in Arras, northern France. The suspect, a Chechen man previously under surveillance for radicalisation, is being investigated by counterterrorism authorities.
In response to the attack, President Emmanuel Macron announced the mobilisation of up to 7,000 soldiers to bolster security nationwide. The French government has raised the national threat alert to 'urgent' amid tensions in the Middle East linked to the Israel-Hamas conflict.
