FRENCH police have arrested a man suspected of carrying out a series of stabbings targeting three women on the Paris metro during the year-end festive period, prompting heightened security measures across the capital’s transport network.
The attacks occurred over a 30-minute window between 4.15pm and 4.45pm along Metro Line 3, which runs through central Paris.
According to RATP, the public authority that operates the city’s transport services, the victims were stabbed at three separate stations: Republique, Arts et Metiers and Opera, close to the busy Marais district.
“The victims immediately received treatment from emergency services,” AFP cited authorities saying.
Investigators said police used closed-circuit television footage and mobile phone tracking technology to trace the suspect after the attacks. This led officers to the Val d’Oise region north of Paris.
“Tracking the location of his mobile phone led to the suspect’s arrest late in the afternoon in Val d’Oise,” the public prosecutor’s office said in a statement.
Following the stabbings, additional security personnel were deployed along the affected metro line to reassure passengers and enforce public safety.
European capitals, including Paris, remain on heightened alert during the year-end festive season amid memories of previous attacks and attempted acts of violence.
Last week, French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez urged senior officials to ensure maximum surveillance and a visible security presence to reduce the risk of terrorism and public disorder. - December 27, 2025
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