The four men are suspected of having links to conspiracy theorist Remy Daillet, accused of the kidnapping of an eight-year-old girl named Mia on 13 April. Daillet is also notorious for repeatedly calling for coups and the assassination of French President Emmanuel Macron.
According to the four men, their actions are justified because they are trying to stop something that intends "to enslave the population for the benefit of a new corrupt world order," as quoted by the BFMTV broadcaster.
Law enforcement officers also believe that the four men had produced a map of all vaccination production and storage sites in Europe in order to destroy them. In addition, the men allegedly tried to find out where vaccines were stored at hospitals in the city of Tours in the West of France.
The men are being held in custody awaiting further questioning.
In July, Macron introduced new measures to help curb the spread of the pandemic, including special health passes used for entry to restaurants, bars, shopping centers, airplanes, all public events attended by over fifty people and long-distance trains in all parts of France. On 15 September, vaccination for all health workers became mandatory.