It is the second time in four days that the Palace of Versailles has had to be evacuated as France is on high alert for possible attacks following the murder of a schoolteacher.
“For security reasons, the Palace of Versailles is evacuating visitors and closing its doors today, Tuesday, October 17. Thank you for your understanding,” the palace administration said in a statement.
Recall that the palace, as well as the Louvre in Paris and the Gare de Lyon, evacuated visitors and staff on Saturday, October 14, after receiving bomb threats.
On Friday, a regime of “emergency anti-terrorism alert” was introduced in France. The authorities announced the decision to increase the threat level on October 13. On this day, a teacher was killed and several people were injured in an attack on Gambetta College in Arras. As part of the investigation, police detained 11 people.
French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said there is likely a connection between what is happening in the Middle East and the attack in Arras. Darmanen called for “the expulsion of any foreigner whom the security services consider dangerous.”