Please kept the area fenced off, warning the public to stay away.

Prosecutors have opened an investigation into attempted murder.

A.

To this stage, we don't know what the motive is behind the attack.

No line of inquiry is preferred.

All ruled out, so I won't comment on the target.

What sort of attack?

This is way?

Don't know yet.

Residents expressed their shock.

I'm appalled because it's very quiet neighborhood, a good place to live.

You have markets the synagogue a little further away.

The Orthodox Church, everyone knows each other.

It's a small village.

It's traumatic.

Recently, France has seen a string of what the authorities describe as terror related incidents believed to have bean sparked by cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammed.

French President Emmanuel Macron made his position clear.

E.

I understand and respect the fact that one might be shocked by these cartoons.

I will never accept that one might justify physical violence over these cartoons.

Andi, in my country, I will always defend the freedom to speak to right, to think and to draw.

France is currently on its highest security alerts.

Let's go straight to France now.

A DW correspondent, Marina Strauss, is standing by.

Marina.

The suspect in this attack has now been arrested.

What more can you tell us?

Yeah.

Man has been arrested last night after witnesses additional witnesses off the attack said that he might look like the perpetrator who attacked the Orthodox priest.

Um, last, um, on Saturday.

What we know is that the Orthodox priest was severely injured.

He is still in a very critical condition, but he is alive.

Um, and also another interesting fact came up unorthodox.

Another Orthodox priests who actually knows the person who was attacked told French media that the reason for the attack might be a personal one because there has been a fight going on over years between a churchgoer and this Orthodox priest.

So this actually might be the reason.

But prosecutors say they're still looking in all Aled directions.

So it's not clear yet what the motive off this attack is.

Yeah, as you say, No clear.

But it does come at a time after a string of attacks in France.

How people How worried are people in France about these attacks.

Were you worried?

I mean, we we've been seeing this attack, um, here in knees just on on Thursday.

And the church you can just see behind me the Notredame basilica here in in Niece on, uh, we've been talking to many different people over the last couple of days, and the reactions are mixed up.

Anger and grief and a deep sadness.

And many churchgoers told us they are afraid now to go to the church.

But they're also angry, and they want police to better protect their church, which is actually happening at the moment.

Like a look.

When you walk through the streets in in these already go anywhere close to the church.

There are many policemen standing standing there.

We also went to a Muslim neighborhood yesterday, and people there told us they're very sad and a swell, but they're also afraid that this incident will further stigmatize Muslims in France.

Alright, Marina.

Thanks very much.