France witnesses another church attack, priest seriously injured in Lyon shooting

Two days after a knife attack at a Catholic church in French city of Nice, a Greek Orthodox priest has been shot outside a church in Lyon on October 31. While speaking to Associated Press, a police official said that priest is currently in a local hospital with life-threatening injuries after being hit in abdomen. officials informed that assailant, who is reported to be at large, was alone and fired from a hunting rifle. 

priest was shot twice at around 4 pm (local time) as he was closing church in city’s seventh arrondissement. After incident, police cordoned off largely residential neighbourhood around church and warned public to stay alert. Lyon public prosecutor’s office said that it h opened an investigation into attempted murder, and was liaising closely with national anti-terrorism prosecutor. 

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Saturday incident comes after a man armed with a knife killed three people in a church in Nice on Thursday. Earlier on October 16, a history teacher was beheed outside his school amid ongoing tensions over a French newspaper’s publication of caricatures mocking Prophet Muhamm. events have heightened tensions in country over rical Islamist, secularism and freedom of speech. 

After Saturday’s incident, French PM Jean Castex reiterated government promises to deploy military forces at religious sites and schools. He said that French people can "count on nation" to allow m to practice ir religion in full safety and freedom. In wake of recent attacks, France has stepped up security across nation. Minister and officials have even warned that more of such attacks were likely.

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Third attack in one month 

France has witnessed three attacks in just one month. Apart from air of fear in France, re is an uproar in Muslim majority countries against European nation for defending satirical cartoons with a call to boycott French goods. Moreover, since beheing of history teacher Samuel Paty, controversial cartoons have been displayed in France to showcase solidarity but has left some Muslims across world angered. 

In aftermath, people have flooded streets deuncing France and its President Emmanuel Macron, who has reiterated his stance as protector of right to freedom of speech. Most recently on October 26, after meeting with Muslim community representatives in France, Macron h pledged to tackle "Islamist separatism" and said that it was threatening to take over some Muslim communities in European nation.

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