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Police stand down 'gunman' alert in Nîmes, southern France

Police detained a man reportedly carrying a firing pistol in the main railway station of the town of Nîmes in southern France on Saturday, where Spain's celebrated Vuelta a España cycling tournament kicked off earlier in the day just 48 hours after the terrorist attacks in Catalonia.

La rédaction de Mediapart

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Nîmes railway station in southern France was evacuated late Saturday after a suspected armed attack, reports Metro.

It comes on the first day of the Vuelta a Espana cycling tournament, which began today in the French city.

It was initially reported that three armed men had jumped off a train from Paris and opened fire on people in Gare de Nîmes.

However, local authorities later confirmed that there had not been a shooting, and the evacuation was due to suspicious behaviour.

Police were also reported to have boarded a high-speed train which they searched for suspects, according to reports on social media.

One witness tweeted a photo of armed officers guarding the station, while passengers were said to have been seen fleeing the station.

People are being told to avoid the area until further notice.

See more of this report from Metro.