Attack emergency: what is this alert level decreed in France after the attack on Moscow? : Current Woman Le MAG

This is the maximum alert level that exists in France. Sunday March 24, 2024, Emmanuel Macron convened a Defense and National Security Council at the Élysée, in order to reassess the threshold of vigilance for terrorist attacks on the territory. So, the country is now on “emergency attack” alerta decision taken following the attack in Moscow three days earlier. “Given the Islamic State’s claim of responsibility for the attack and threats to our countrywe have decided to raise the Vigipirate posture to its highest level: attack emergency”, specified the Prime Minister, Gabriel Attal, on his X account. As a reminder, a shooting claimed by Daesh left at least 137 dead in a concert hall located in the suburbs of the Russian capital, Friday March 22, 2024. But concretely, what does the “emergency attack” system mean for France? What does this change? We’ll explain it to you.

What exactly does the emergency attack change?

The third and final level of the Vigipirate plan was created in 2016, in response to the numerous attacks committed the previous year, notably those of Charlie Hebdo and the Bataclan. As the General Secretariat of Defense and National Security (SGDSN) explains on its website, it is triggered for a “short duration” solely linked to the management of the imminent crisis. The attack emergency can be activated in a specific geographical area or over the entire territory, as is currently the case, and is generally “established following an attack or if an identified and unlocated terrorist group takes action”. To date, the government is therefore concerned about the Islamic State threat, “involved in several recent foiled attack plans in several European countries, including Germany and France”specified Matignon following the Defense Council.

Concretely, the emergency attack “allows the protection device to be adapted to prevent any risk” attack. In addition to the permanent measures already planned by the first level of the Vigipirate plan, permanently activated throughout the country, some 300 “additional restrictive measures” will be put in place. Security is particularly reinforced around schools, places of worship and on public transport, where 7,000 soldiers from the Sentinelle force have already been deployed this Monday, March 25, 2024.

A level of alert not so rare in France

Following this decision by the French government, the hashtag #UrgengeAttentat very quickly found itself in the trends of the social network X. And Internet users seem mixed, as always. Some denounce a “establishment of fear” voluntary before the European elections, while others believe that it was a necessary measure after the numerous threats against educational establishments in particular. Even before the attack in Moscow and the increase in the Vigipirate level, security had been reinforced in 150 middle and high schools, recently targeted by threats via a cyberattack on Digital Work Spaces (ENT).

Although this measure may seem worrying, it is not that rare. The last time the emergency attack was triggered in Franceit was just a few months ago. On October 13, 2023, following the Arras attack which cost the life of French teacher Dominique Bernard, the government chose to enhance the Vigipirate plan – vigilance and protection of installations against the risks of terrorist attacks explosive – at its maximum level. It was finally lowered to the second level, that of “reinforced security – attack risk”, on January 15, 2024. This intermediate level has no defined time limit, and can be established in “response to a high level of terrorist threat”.