France Bomb Alerts: Louvre Museum and Versailles Palace Evacuated After Bomb Threats (Watch Videos)
Alarms rang out through the Louvre, a vast space also in a former royal palace Paris overlooking the Seine River, when the evacuation was announced, and in the underground shopping center beneath its signature pyramid.
Paris, Oct 14: The Louvre Museum in Paris and Versailles Palace evacuated visitors and staff Saturday after receiving bomb threats. The government has put France on high security alert after a fatal school stabbing by a suspected extremist.
The Louvre communication service said no one was hurt and no incident was reported. Paris police said officers searched the museum after it received written bomb threats. Louvre Museum in Paris is Being Evacuated After Threat While France is Under High Alert (Watch Video).
Bomb Alert at Palace of Versailles in France
Bomb Alert Leads to Evacuation at Palace of Versailles
The former royal palace at Versailles also received bomb threats, a national police spokesperson said.
The palace and its sprawling gardens were being evacuated while police examine the area, the spokesperson said.
Louvre Museum Evacuated for Security Reasons
Alarms rang out through the Louvre, a vast space also in a former royal palace Paris overlooking the Seine River, when the evacuation was announced, and in the underground shopping center beneath its signature pyramid.
Police cordoned off the monument from all sides, and the underground access, as tourists and other visitors streamed out.
Videos posted online showed people leaving, some hurriedly and some stopping to take photos, others apparently confused about what was happening. France School Knife Attack: Teacher Killed, Two Seriously Injured at School in Arras, Terrifying Clip Surfaces; Accused Arrested.
The French government raised the threat alert level and is deploying 7,000 troops to increase security after Friday's school attack.
French authorities say a former student suspected of Islamic radicalisation killed a teacher and wounded three other people before being captured.
The government is also concerned about fallout in France from the war between Israel and Hamas.
The Louvre, home to masterpieces such as the Mona Lisa, welcomes between 30,000 and 40,000 visitors per day