French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner tweeted Saturday that he told local authorities to "increase vigilance around synagogues" starting Sunday.
Je viens de demander aux Préfets de renforcer dès demain la vigilance autour des synagogues et des événements programmés ce week-end.
— Christophe Castaner (@CCastaner) 27 октября 2018 г.
According to AFP, France's half-a-million-plus Jewish community is the largest in Europe, but has seen a wave of emigration to Israel over the past two decades, partly due to the emergence of a virulent strain of anti-Semitism in predominantly immigrant Parisian neighborhoods.
Last year, the Council of Europe Anti-Racism Commission (ECRI) noted its concern about the high level of race-related crime and the rise of hate speech in France, as well as cases of attempted murder, particularly in connection with anti-Semitism.
READ MORE: 'Anti-Semitism Alive & Kicking': Twitter Shaken by Pittsburgh Synagogue Attack
A gunman opened fire on Saturday inside a synagogue in Pittsburgh in the US state of Pennsylvania, killing 11 people and injuring six others, according to US authorities. FBI official Robert Allan Jones said that the suspect was armed with what appeared to be an assault rifle and at least three handguns.
US Attorney General Jeff Sessions said earlier in the day that the suspect will face charges that could lead to death penalty.
READ MORE: US Police Detain Pittsburgh Synagogue Attacker, Confirm Casualties
