Police swarmed a church in central Paris today amid fears of a potential attack after reports gunfire had been heard and hostages taken.
Parts of the city were shutdown while the French government issued a warning telling people to avoid the Les Halles district of the city.
Officers have since confirmed it was a ‘false alarm’ and there is no indication of any danger to the public.
Police were called to the area at around 4.30pm (3.30pm BST) after people reported hearing explosions and hid in a church on St. Denis.
“As the operation took place, the church’s priest came out as well as a number of people and the BRI (emergency intervention and search service) made sure there was nobody, that there was no assailant,” he said.
France is on high alert for security threats after a series of attacks by Islamist militants that have killed more than 230 people since January 2015.
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