A person has been detained on suspicion of planning an assault on the Olympic torch relay in Bordeaux, French Inside Minister Gérald Darmanin has mentioned.
He gave few particulars however praised police for making certain safety throughout Thursday’s relay.
Prosecutors mentioned the suspect had written a disturbing message that “may correspond to glorifying crime”. He additionally referred to a earlier mass killing within the US, they added.
The Olympic flame arrived in Marseille earlier this month, forward of the Paris Video games, which begin on 26 July.
Paris 2024 organisers have spoken of an unprecedented safety operation, with a gap ceremony involving greater than 10,000 athletes being ferried alongside the River Seine.
The Olympic flame was as a result of arrive in Bordeaux late on Thursday afternoon, after a day of occasions marking its passage by the encompassing space.
Bordeaux prosecutor Frédérique Porterie mentioned an investigation had been launched in response to a web based message that referred to the killing of six individuals of their late teenagers and early 20s precisely 10 years in the past in Isla Vista, California.
CNews mentioned a submit on the suspect’s profile referred to Isla Vista killer Elliot Rodger, who had a deep loathing of girls. His assaults impressed individuals on-line who recognized as being ” involuntarily celibate” – or incels.
The prosecutor mentioned the suspect – named as Alex G – had no legal document however throughout a search of his dwelling a rubber pellet revolver was seized together with a number of cellphones and a pc.
In keeping with the court docket in Bordeaux, the suspect had admitted to “having thought of an act with no particular location” in thoughts, and had circuitously spoken concerning the Olympic flame relay.
He was additionally described as “psychologically extremely fragile”.
The Olympic flame is firstly of a 12,000km (7,500-mile) odyssey round mainland France and its abroad territories. Anti-drone specialists have joined police in preserving a detailed eye on its journey.
The flame had been as a result of journey so far as the Pacific territory of New Caledonia, however rioting over the previous 10 days has prompted organisers to cancel that leg of the route.
