AN 'Algerian student' said to be inspired by ISIS screamed "this is for Syria" as he attacked cops with a hammer before being shot by police outside Notre Dame cathedral in Paris today.

The French landmark was put on lockdown with 900 people barricaded inside this afternoon.

10 A hammer attacker was shot and injured outside Notre Dame after lunging at an officer Credit: Twitter / David Rahul Metreau

10 Cops were seen drawing their weapons outside Notre Dame after the attack on a police officer Credit: Jonathan Moadab

10 A huge police response was deployed to Notre Dame, where the suspected hammer attacker was shot in the chest Credit: Sky News

10 Around 900 tourists were trapped inside the cathedral as police opened fire on a hammer attacker Credit: Nancy Soderberg

Parisian police warned people to avoid the area before confirming a suspect carrying two knives and a hammer was shot and injured.

French TV reported that an officer shot a man acting "aggressively" at around 4:30pm local time (3:30pm GMT).

And French Interior Minister Gerard Collomb has now revealed the attacker cried "this is for Syria" as he went after officers patrolling outside the front of the famous landmark.

Notre-Dame: de nombreux effectifs se dirigent vers le lieu pic.twitter.com/FWWAGJzoW0 — David Perrotin (@davidperrotin) June 6, 2017

La policía parisina neutraliza a un supuesto atacante en #NotreDame (@Jonathan_RTfr) pic.twitter.com/E3cKt5LSXf — Emmanuel Rosalez (@journalero) June 6, 2017

AFP news agency also quoted an unnamed source as saying he said he was an ISIS "soldier of the caliphate" - although this has not yet been confirmed.

Collomb added that the man was "believed to be acting alone" and used "rudimentary items to attack the forces of law and order".

He told reporters: “A man came behind these police officers and, armed with a hammer, started hitting one of them.

"His colleagues reacted with composure...and fired.”

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He said the attacker - who is believed to be in his 40s - was carrying an Algerian student card.

He was shot in the chest outside the cathedral entrance and is now being treated in hospital — while the officer was left with only minor injuries.

Pictures show the suspect lying on the ground outside the iconic church, surrounded by cops.

10 French Interior Minister Gerard Collomb speaks to reporters near Notre Dame today Credit: Getty Images

Prosecutors have now opened a terror investigation after the dramatic incident.

Visitors told of being locked inside the cathedral while shocking video shows armed cops rushing to the scene with their weapons drawn.

Hundreds of people inside Notre Dame were told to sit on wooden pews and put their hands up as police investigated the attack.

10 Forensics experts set up a tent at the scene of the incident today Credit: AP:Associated Press

🇫🇷 #Urgente #Francia Así, un testigo registraba con su celular el momento en el que evacuaban la Catedral de Notre Dame pic.twitter.com/xMW4kmtNVl — RED 92 (@RED92cadadiamas) June 6, 2017

Paris, parvis de Notre-Dame : un policier a tiré sur un homme qui l'a attaqué à coup de marteau. L'agresseur est blessé. #Europe1 — Guillaume BIET (@GuillaumeBiet) June 6, 2017

Texan tourist Amanda Beasley said: "Just witnessed a shooting on the square in front of the Notre Dame.

"We ran for cover and were able to escape unharmed. We are all safe. One attacker was shot and the police are still trying to locate others."

Nancy Soderber, a former White House Deputy National Security Adviser, was among those trapped inside the landmark.

She tweeted a photo of tourists with their hands in the air.

10 Dozens of officers rushed to the famous landmark in central Paris this afternoon Credit: Getty Images

10 Counter-terror police have launched an investigation into the attack Credit: Reuters

One witness told news agency AFP he heard someone "shout very loudly".

He said: "Then there was a crowd surge and people panicked. I heard two shots and saw a man lying on the ground in a pool of blood."

Journalist David Metreau, who said his office overlooks the square that fronts Notre Dame, tweeted that there were two blasts that sounded like shots.

He posted a photo of a body lying on the ground.

10 Heavily armed French cops seal off the scene of the incident in Paris Credit: Reuters

10 An officer stands guard outside the iconic cathedral today Credit: Getty Images

Metreau said: "The police didn't seem interested in him at the beginning. I thought he was dead."

French counter-terror police have opened an investigation into the attack.

Notre Dame has 13.6million visitors a year and is the most popular tourist attraction in France.

It comes just days after London was struck by an Islamist van and knife attack which killed seven people.

France is under a state of emergency and on its highest possible level of alert following a string of terror attacks that began in 2015, which have killed over 230 people.

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