France: 18 Arrested After Bomb Threats at Airports, Palace at Versailles

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Oct 20, 2023

Image copyright: Wikimedia Commonsstory last updated Oct 20, 2023

The Facts

On Thursday, Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin announced that at least 18 people in France, mostly youths, had been arrested in the span of 48 hours following fake bomb threats at the Palace of Versailles, the Louvre, schools, hospitals, and 15 airports — which prompted the cancellation of at least 130 flights this week.
Among those arrested was a 16-year-old boy in Saint-Ouen-l’Aumône, a town northwest of Paris, after an emailed bomb threat was sent to his school. Roughly 1.2K people were subsequently evacuated from Jean Perrin High School, including about 1K students.

The Spin

Right narrative

Europeans wouldn't be in a constant state of fear if they had taken warnings about immigration seriously. While migrants shouldn't all be cast as criminals, there is a correlation between terrorism and illegal migration that can't be ignored. This game of psychological warfare began long ago, and the ones to blame are sitting in the halls of European governments.

The Telegraph

Left narrative

There's a misconception about the correlation between crime and immigrants that's fueling hostility toward asylum seekers. While there are undoubtedly migrants who commit crimes — just as there are non-migrants who commit crimes — this shouldn't be used as an excuse to turn our back on those genuinely seeking asylum or associate them with terrorists.

Newsroom

Narrative C

At a time when the world is already on edge due to real threats of violence, the people of France shouldn't have to face any more psychological terror. While these culprits may think it's a harmless prank, the forced evacuation of public spaces only intensifies an already heated moment in history. Furthermore, these jokes will come with consequences not if, but when, the perpetrators are found and arrested.