A French police officer has been stabbed by an Algerian man who French media say has a history of violence including attempting to firebomb a synagogue.

The attacker attempted to slit the throat of the officer while both were in the police station according to authorities. The 31-year-old Abderrahmane Amara, born in Algiers in 1985, appeared at the scene of the crime around 2pm Tuesday afternoon complaining to police that his laptop had been stolen.

Authorities say that initially Amara walked away after filing his report only to return when another complaint was being processed and violently attacked police. A 21-year-old officer was stabbed in the throat by Amara and fell to the ground as other officers tackled the attacker and restrained him. Amara even tried to take the gun of the officer who had been stabbed but was unable to do so when other officers intervened.

According to reports, Amara suffers from severe mental illness and when restrained shouted at the officers:”I’m sick of France, I’m sick of this country!” In 2013 it is said that the attacker had two counts of delinquency in French courts that were later dropped but in 2014 was brought up on more serious charges when he attempted to firebomb a synagogue in Toulouse on July 26th.

Reaction to the incident online has been condemnation from many including prominent Front National MP Marion Le Pen who took to Twitter saying: “Abderrahmane Amara, born in Algiers, had already attacked a synagogue. It had nothing to do with freedom on our soil!”

#Toulouse : Abderrahmane Amara, né à Alger, avait déjà attaqué une synagogue. Il n'avait rien à faire en liberté sur notre sol ! — Marion Maréchal (@MarionMarechal) August 30, 2016

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