03
Sep 2025
11:18 UTC
France Alert (UPDATE): Tunisian national shot dead after injuring five at hotel, Cours Belsunce Street in Marseille on September 2; anti-immigrant protests likely
Current Situation
- On September 2, a Tunisian national was shot dead by police after attacking five individuals with knives and a baton in Marseille.
- The incident began around 14:45 (local time) at a hotel located on Cours Belsunce Street, where the perpetrator, evicted for non-payment of rent earlier the same day, returned armed with two knives and a baton. He first stabbed his former roommate, leaving him in critical condition, then injured two hotel employees nearby, both sustaining non-life-threatening wounds. He then proceeded along Cours Belsunce Street, striking two passers-by with a baton.
- Police officers confronted the attacker. Witnesses and video footage show him holding up his weapons, shouting “Allah Akbar,” and charging at officers, who then shot him.
- The public prosecutor of Marseille stated that the judicial police are leading the investigation.
- The assailant was previously known to the authorities after being excluded from a mosque for aggressive behavior. At the time, authorities assessed him as unstable and in need of psychiatric follow-up.
Source: Le Figaro
Assessments & Forecast
- Given that the perpetrator was evicted from the hotel shortly before the attacks, the incident was likely triggered by a personal dispute. Reports of the attacker’s mental instability further support the assessment that his actions were influenced by psychological factors. Furthermore, the eviction’s timing, immediately preceding the attack, corroborates that the perpetrator acted without prior planning during a period of distress or agitation.
- That said, an Islamist motive cannot be fully ruled out as of writing. This is especially so given the suspect’s profile and the modus operandi used. Indeed, North African backgrounds among Islamist lone-actor attackers are common in France, with several cases recorded in recent years. The use of bladed weapons and the suspect’s shouting “Allah Akbar” during the attack also suggest he may have been influenced by Islamist ideologies, as these factors mimic past attacks. This type of lone-actor Islamist attack was seen on February 22, when an Algerian national shouted ‘Allahu Akbar’ during a stabbing attack in Mulhouse that resulted in one civilian dead and three police officers injured.
- Moreover, given that the attacker was known to the authorities, the incident is likely to draw criticism of the authorities’ perceived failures in tracking at-risk suspects and prompt further public discussion about the deportation of immigrants, including those with legal residency, who have been previously arrested or are considered dangerous. This is especially so amid reports that only seven percent of deportation orders are enforced in France. Furthermore, past high-profile violence carried out by foreign nationals has drawn widespread backlash. This includes the assault and murder of a woman by a Moroccan national in September 2024 in Paris, which led to large-scale anti-immigration protests, including by right-wing and far-right groups.
- FORECAST: As such, given the heightened anti-immigrant sentiments among certain segments of the public, coupled with general safety concerns in France, the incident is liable to trigger anti-immigration protests in the near term. Such protests are likely to be held in Marseille, Paris, and other major cities nationwide. Based on precedent, they will carry a heightened risk of unrest, given the potential involvement of far-right organizations.
Recommendations
- Travel to France may continue while maintaining heightened vigilance for potential violent incidents, including Islamist and Islamist-inspired attacks.
- Travelers are advised to remain cognizant of their surroundings, including any suspicious behavior of individuals. Alert authorities immediately upon witnessing suspicious items or behavior.
- If a potential stabbing, shooting, explosion, or vehicle ramming manifests, leave the area immediately if possible, or take shelter at a secure location.
- Move away from large groups to mitigate the risks of a stampede and of presenting a bigger target for a possible secondary attack.
- Remain cognizant of authorities’ updates regarding evolving security protocols at public events.
- Maintain heightened vigilance in the vicinity of any anti-immigration, far-right protests in cities in France due to the heightened risk of unrest.
- For further questions, please contact [email protected].
COUNTRY RISK LEVEL
Low
AFFECTED AREA
Marseille, France
INCIDENT RISK LEVEL
Medium
STRENGTH OF SOURCE
Confirmed
Current Situation
- On September 2, a Tunisian national was shot dead by police after attacking five individuals with knives and a baton in Marseille.
- The incident began around 14:45 (local time) at a hotel located on Cours Belsunce Street, where the perpetrator, evicted for non-payment of rent earlier the same day, returned armed with two knives and a baton. He first stabbed his former roommate, leaving him in critical condition, then injured two hotel employees nearby, both sustaining non-life-threatening wounds. He then proceeded along Cours Belsunce Street, striking two passers-by with a baton.
- Police officers confronted the attacker. Witnesses and video footage show him holding up his weapons, shouting “Allah Akbar,” and charging at officers, who then shot him.
- The public prosecutor of Marseille stated that the judicial police are leading the investigation.
- The assailant was previously known to the authorities after being excluded from a mosque for aggressive behavior. At the time, authorities assessed him as unstable and in need of psychiatric follow-up.
Source: Le Figaro
Assessments & Forecast
- Given that the perpetrator was evicted from the hotel shortly before the attacks, the incident was likely triggered by a personal dispute. Reports of the attacker’s mental instability further support the assessment that his actions were influenced by psychological factors. Furthermore, the eviction’s timing, immediately preceding the attack, corroborates that the perpetrator acted without prior planning during a period of distress or agitation.
- That said, an Islamist motive cannot be fully ruled out as of writing. This is especially so given the suspect’s profile and the modus operandi used. Indeed, North African backgrounds among Islamist lone-actor attackers are common in France, with several cases recorded in recent years. The use of bladed weapons and the suspect’s shouting “Allah Akbar” during the attack also suggest he may have been influenced by Islamist ideologies, as these factors mimic past attacks. This type of lone-actor Islamist attack was seen on February 22, when an Algerian national shouted ‘Allahu Akbar’ during a stabbing attack in Mulhouse that resulted in one civilian dead and three police officers injured.
- Moreover, given that the attacker was known to the authorities, the incident is likely to draw criticism of the authorities’ perceived failures in tracking at-risk suspects and prompt further public discussion about the deportation of immigrants, including those with legal residency, who have been previously arrested or are considered dangerous. This is especially so amid reports that only seven percent of deportation orders are enforced in France. Furthermore, past high-profile violence carried out by foreign nationals has drawn widespread backlash. This includes the assault and murder of a woman by a Moroccan national in September 2024 in Paris, which led to large-scale anti-immigration protests, including by right-wing and far-right groups.
- FORECAST: As such, given the heightened anti-immigrant sentiments among certain segments of the public, coupled with general safety concerns in France, the incident is liable to trigger anti-immigration protests in the near term. Such protests are likely to be held in Marseille, Paris, and other major cities nationwide. Based on precedent, they will carry a heightened risk of unrest, given the potential involvement of far-right organizations.
Recommendations
- Travel to France may continue while maintaining heightened vigilance for potential violent incidents, including Islamist and Islamist-inspired attacks.
- Travelers are advised to remain cognizant of their surroundings, including any suspicious behavior of individuals. Alert authorities immediately upon witnessing suspicious items or behavior.
- If a potential stabbing, shooting, explosion, or vehicle ramming manifests, leave the area immediately if possible, or take shelter at a secure location.
- Move away from large groups to mitigate the risks of a stampede and of presenting a bigger target for a possible secondary attack.
- Remain cognizant of authorities’ updates regarding evolving security protocols at public events.
- Maintain heightened vigilance in the vicinity of any anti-immigration, far-right protests in cities in France due to the heightened risk of unrest.
- For further questions, please contact [email protected].