French anti-terror police have detained an alleged neo-Nazi sympathizer suspected of planning to target the Olympic torch relay, as announced by Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin on Wednesday. The man was apprehended at his residence in the Alsace region of eastern France, where he reportedly operates a group called 'French Aryan division' on the social media platform Telegram. The detainee is under investigation for alleged death threats, hate speech, and other concerning online posts.
The Paris prosecutor's office clarified that the suspect's comments, which prompted the investigation by their online hate-fighting unit, did not explicitly mention the Paris Olympics. However, Minister Darmanin indicated a potential intention to disrupt a stage of the torch relay. The Olympic torch is currently on its final stretch across France and overseas territories before the Games' commencement on July 26.
