TWITTER France is on high terror alert following various attacks this year

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French authorities rushed to a church in central Paris amid reports of an attack. Journalist Jean-Pierre Duthion said that police officers were "worried about the crisis situation but did not want to create panic" on Twitter. The police in Paris took to Twitter to say that the area near the Saint-Leu church, between Les Halles and Etienne Marcel was cordoned off and ordered people to avoid the area.

A police officer:

"There is a crisis situation, we don't want to create panic situation." Étienne Marcel#Paris #France — Jean Pierre Duthion (@halona) September 17, 2016

Intervention en cours des forces de l'ordre sur le 1er arrdt de Paris, évitez le secteur. — Préfecture de police (@prefpolice) September 17, 2016

Mr Duthion also said that there were rumours that this could be a hostage situation. A helicopter was flying over the scene on Saturday afternoon and the police were called at 4:30pm. The journalist at the scene said that police officers were "worried" and "they continued to ask each other" what happened in Etienne Marcel.

Twitter Police have cordoned off the area in Paris

We are worried about a crisis situation but we do not want to create panic French police

There were also reports on Twitter that police squads were on standby in the area. Police have said that the operation is now over, but they were worried at the time.

GETTY Police rushed to an area near the Saint-Leu church

A police officer:

"There is a crisis situation, we don't want to create panic situation." Étienne Marcel#Paris #France — Jean Pierre Duthion (@halona) September 17, 2016

Un hélicoptère en survol à Étienne Marcel à proximité du lieu de l'attentat. #EtienneMarcel #Paris pic.twitter.com/kYKmbU5LgP — Remy Buisine (@RemyBuisine) September 17, 2016

At around 5:30pm, Mr Duthion said the police are leaving, there is no security any more and police trucks have left the area of Etienne Marcel. The Government has released a press release confirming that the event was a false alarm and the details are still being investigated.

Twitter Police scrambled to the scene in central Paris