"End of intervention by security forces," the Paris Prefecture tweeted, adding there was "no sign of danger."
LIVE: @Periscope from the scene of the security operation in central #Paris — @LudovicTn https://t.co/2VfIhgft38
— Conflict News (@Conflicts) 17 сентября 2016 г.
A major operation by the French law enforcement took place in Les Halles district in Paris.
Scènes de panique à #Chatelet, les forces de l'ordre hurlent aux gens d'évacuer la zone #Paris, pas d'info en plus. pic.twitter.com/QKeQhKdIMZ
— Guillaume Poingt (@guillaumepoingt) 17 сентября 2016 г.
Media reports emerged that a hostage situation and shooting had allegedly been taking place. However, later French authorities said that the terror alert was false.
Intervention policière en cours, au niveau de Étienne Marcel. Pas plus d'infos pour le moment… pic.twitter.com/rZZIybrlhy
— Johnny Gislard (@JohnGsld) 17 сентября 2016 г.
The French Interior Ministry confirmed that the security alert was false, but praised the professionalism of security forces involved in the operation.
"Bernard Cazeneuve, the interior minister, confirms that a false alert triggered intervention by police forces this afternoon at a church in Rue Saint Denis in Paris," a statement by the Interior Ministry read.
"The circumstances that led to this intervention remain to be determined in detail," the Ministry added, saying an emergency system called SAIP sent warning to the population.
A message about the threat of terrorist attacks in the first district of the French capital was sent via the official app for mobile devices developed after attacks in France.
🔴 Périmètre entièrement bouclée dans le quartier Étienne Marcel à Paris, il y aurait une attaque dans une Église. pic.twitter.com/8hpWCjdYbr
— Salem (@Ibn_Sayyid) 17 сентября 2016 г.
France has been under a state of emergency following last November's terror attacks in Paris, which claimed 130 lives.
