WEB DESK

The Louvre Museum in Paris, and the Versailles Palace evacuated visitors and staff after receiving written bomb threats. In response, the French government began deploying 7,000 troops to increase security around the country.

The Louvre is home to masterpieces such as the Mona Lisa with more than 30,000 visitors everyday. Paris police said they searched the museum and fortunately, no bomb was found. The museum will reopen as usual on Monday.

Tensions have risen in France which houses the largest Muslim and Jewish population in Europe, due to a fatal school stabbing by a suspected Islamic extremist on Friday. Earlier, French police used teargas and water cannon to break up a banned Pro-Palestine rally. President Emmanuel Macron urged the French to remain united and refrain from bringing the Israel-Hamas conflict home. France has banned pro-Palestinian protests, saying they were likely to create disturbances to public order.