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09 May 2017

Police gradually began reopening Paris' Gare du Nord train station early on Tuesday morning after earlier evacuating it

Police evacuate Paris' Gare du Nord station


 
PARIS (Reuters) - Police gradually began reopening Paris' Gare du Nord train station early on Tuesday morning after earlier evacuating the platforms and cordoning off the area because of a security alert, local police authorities said.
A Reuters witness at the scene said there were between 20 to 30 police vans outside the station in central Paris with security forces wearing balaclavas and carrying assault weapons.
"End of security checks. Gradual return to normal," Paris police said in a tweet.
Authorities gave no other details about the nature of the operation.
Security has been stepped up across France because of Sunday's presidential runoff, which Emmanuel Macron won.
Over the past two years, the country has been hit by a series of Islamist militant attacks in Paris and other cities in which more than 230 people have been killed.
(Reporting by Tim Hepher and Marine Pennetier; Writing by John Irish; Editing by Sandra Maler and Peter Conney)

Read more at http://www.thestar.com.my/news/world/2017/05/09/police-evacuate-paris-gare-du-nord-station/#PZTfc0HVPF4k8SGE.99


Hunt for 'three dangerous men' continues after armed lockdown of Gare du Nord in Paris on the day France welcomes its new president Emmanuel Macron

  • Gare du Nord station in Paris evacuated tonight over security concerns
  • Armed police entered the station and sealed off the surrounding area
  • They were looking for three 'dangerous' men according to local reports
  • Officers understood to have searched incoming train from Valenciennes 
  • Police confirmed no arrests were made and cordon lifted by 2am local time 
Three 'dangerous men' remain at large after police stormed Gare du Nord station in Paris last night.
Officers armed with rifles poured into the building at around 11pm, sealing off the surrounding area. 
It is understood some passengers were kept on trains as teams of officers scoured carriages for the 'terror suspects'.
The men are said to have been reported as dangerous to France by a 'partner country' on Friday. 
Gare du Nord station evacuated amid security concerns
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Armed police have sealed off the Gare du Nord station in Paris tonight, pictured, as part of a huge security operation
Armed police have sealed off the Gare du Nord station in Paris tonight, pictured, as part of a huge security operation
Hundreds of people including children have been evacuated from the station, pictured
Hundreds of people including children have been evacuated from the station, pictured
La Parisien reported the men had also been spotted in Bordeaux and Marseilles over the weekend.
The paper reported officers searched a train arriving from Valenciennes in northern France, which is thought to have had 200 people on board. 
Unconfirmed reports suggested two of the three men being hunted were Belgian nationals while the other was from Afghanistan. 
Dave James Phillips, a 39-year-old technology consultant from Britain, said he was getting off the last train in from London when he saw officers flooding the station.
Mr Phillips said: 'There were police immediately, and a chap with his hand on his gun.
'As we were walking down the platform, one came down and said, "Rapide, rapide. Out, out."'
Mr Phillips said police kept pouring into the station as passengers were hustled out and police buses and unmarked cars were 'driving quite dramatically up the road.'
Paris police spokeswoman Johanna Primevert said that the operation was aimed at 'removing doubt' and ended with no arrests.
The busy station is the terminus of a large suburban and national rail network as well as Eurostar trains from London.
A Eurostar spokeswoman said the incident did not appear to have any relation to its trains and did not appear to affect its passengers. 
The operation began after the last Eurostar arrivals and departures late Monday.
Police confirmed their 'checks' had finished by around 2am local time, with the station to 'return to normal'. 
Train passenger is 'searched' at the Gare du Nord in Paris
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Police vehicles were described as 'driving dramatically' around the station as officers arrived at the scene. Pictured is a Research and Intervention Brigade (BRI) vehicle, part of a special French police force 
Police vehicles were described as 'driving dramatically' around the station as officers arrived at the scene. Pictured is a Research and Intervention Brigade (BRI) vehicle, part of a special French police force 
Police in Paris said the response at Gare du Nord, pictured, was to 'dispel any doubt' about a threat
Police in Paris said the response at Gare du Nord, pictured, was to 'dispel any doubt' about a threat
Police would not confirm if there had been any arrests or injuries at the station, pictured
Police would not confirm if there had been any arrests or injuries at the station, pictured
Armed police evacuate and cordon off Paris Gard du Nord station
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It comes a day after Emmanuel Macron was elected president of France, defeating right-wing opponent Marine Le Pen. 
Earlier in the day riot police clashed with communists and revolutionary groups as thousands of demonstrators gathered at the Place de la Republique calling for 'resistance' to President Macron's 'capitalist' agenda of employment and benefits reforms. 
A single tweet from Paris' police service announcing the operation early Tuesday gives very little detail.
But the service said the security operation was launched to 'dispel any doubt' about a threat. 
France's new President-elect has vowed to be a tough negotiator. He has described Britain's decision to leave the EU as 'a crime', and is in favour of a so-called hard Brexit that will see the UK kept out of the single market.
He also pledged to unite France following his resounding 66 per cent election landslide that ended any hopes of victory for the nationalist firebrand Marine Le Pen, 48, and her National Front (FN) party. 
Officers have evacuated the station over 'security concerns' although the nature of the threat remains unclear
Officers have evacuated the station over 'security concerns' although the nature of the threat remains unclear
Armed police have been posted around the building, with many guarding doorways, pictured
Armed police have been posted around the building, with many guarding doorways, pictured


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4486314/Armed-police-Gare-du-Nord-Paris-station-evacuated.html#ixzz4gXzTcHnM
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