At around 1.40pm on Monday, a man climbed onto the altar of the Sacré-Coeur Basilica, ‘gesticulating violently’ and shouting ‘Allah Akbar’ three times.
A cleaner tried to stop him. The person then punched him in the plexus. The basilica’s security service intervened before a security team from the Sentinel police arrived.
The suspect gave the impression of not being in full possession of his mental faculties”.