'Entire French Republic sullied' after swastikas daubed on Jewish graves

The suspected attacker, Chérif Chekatt, was killed by police on Thursday night following a two-day manhunt for the 29-year-old by 700 members of the French security forces.

France has also suffered five consecutive weeks of unrest, as gilets jaunes protests against Emmanuel Macron’s government continue to rock the country.

Herrlisheim has been home to a Jewish community since 1349, although the overall Jewish population has been fewer than 100 people since the German occupation during the Second World War.

Its Jewish cemetery has been the target of a number of graffiti attacks, including on the anniversary of Hitler’s death in 2004.

Antisemitic attacks in France have been on the rise in recent years.

Last month, Prime Minister Édouard Philippe said that incidents in the first nine months of 2018 represented a 69 per cent rise on year on year.

Harold Weill, chief rabbi of the Bas-Rhin region, said that France's Jewish community “loves this country, it cherishes it, but it is asking itself questions”.