French police detained 12 suspects on Monday after 145 people from across the country reported being stabbed with syringes at the annual Fete de la Musique street music festival (World Music Day) on June 21.
Thirteen of the reports came from Paris. Among those detained are four residents of Angoulême, who are suspected of attacking 50 people. The gender, age and nationality of those arrested have not been disclosed. On the eve of the holiday, messages appeared on social media calling for attacks on women at the festival, but there are also men among the victims and it is known that an 18-year-old man was stabbed in Paris.
The authorities have not specified whether the victims were injected with substances that some rapists use to render their victims unconscious. Several victims were taken to hospital for toxicological analysis. An investigation was launched in Paris after three reports were filed, including one from a 15-year-old girl. All three complainants reported feeling unwell after being injected.
Nicolas Dupont-Aignan, leader of the party Debout la France (France Arise), tried to draw attention to the incident on X:
“1,500 injured, 51 cars burned, 13 attacks on police officers, 145 women injured by injections:
This is the real outcome of Music Day in France. An outbreak of violence that most of the media is silent about. How long are we going to put up with this?”
