"Speaking to The National, Sofia Koller, senior research analyst at the Counter Extremism Project, said: 'The motivation is not clear yet.

'Some media and parts of the public are quick to judge when they see it was a foreign-looking man with a knife, and assume it was a terror attack.'

There are continuing debates and discussions in France and Europe on asylum seekers and immigration, Ms Koller said, speaking from Germany.

'So I think this attack really comes at the worst timing because the debate is quite present at the moment. So this attack might have an even higher impact on French society,' she said."