LYON, France (Reuters) - Masked youths smashed stolen cars into a French synagogue before setting them ablaze inside a central courtyard, witnesses said on Saturday.
Around 15 youths, some wearing balaclavas, stormed the synagogue in the central city of Lyon at around 1 a.m. on Saturday morning.
The gang smashed the two cars into the walls of the synagogue after crashing through the gates, witnesses said.
Firefighters extinguished the burning cars before they caused serious damage to the building. No one was hurt.
The attack comes ahead of the Jewish holiday of Passover, and follows claims by France's Jewish community it has faced increased anti-Semitic violence since a Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation began in September 2000.
France's main Jewish organization CRIF denounced the attack and said it proved violence against Jews in France was a reality.