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Straits Times
5 hours ago
- Straits Times
Police arrest 12 as wave of syringe attacks mar France street music festival
Participants perform on musical instruments during Fete de la Musique in Paris, on June 21. PHOTO: EPA-EFE PARIS - French police have detained twelve suspects after 145 people reported being pricked with syringes during the country's annual street music festival, officials said June 22. Millions of people took to the streets across France on the evening of June 21 for the Fete de la Musique, with authorities reporting 'unprecedented crowds' in Paris. Before the party, posts on social media had called for women to be targeted during the festivities. The interior ministry said 145 victims across the country had reported being stabbed with needles. Paris police reported 13 cases in the capital. Officials did not say if these were cases of so-called needle spiking with date-rape drugs such as Rohypnol or GHB, used by attackers to render victims confused or inconscious and vulnerable to sexual assault. 'Some victims were taken to hospital for toxicological tests,' the ministry said. In Paris, investigations were opened after three people including a 15-year-old girl and an 18-year-old male, reported being stabbed in separate incidents across Paris, prosecutors said. All three reported feeling unwell. Millions of people took to the streets across France for the Fete de la Musique, with authorities reporting 'unprecedented crowds' in Paris. PHOTO: EPA-EFE Across France, 12 suspects have been arrested, the interior ministry said. Among them were four people in the south-western city of Angouleme suspected of having targeted around 50 victims, said a police source. Apart from those suspects, more than 370 people were detained during the festival on various charges, including nearly 90 people in Paris. Fourteen participants in the festivities were seriously injured, including a 17-year-old hospitalised after being found sitting on the street with stab wounds to the lower abdomen. Thirteen members of law enforcement were also injured. The prefect of the Paris police, Laurent Nunez, said that 'no major incident has been reported'. AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
eNCA
8 hours ago
- eNCA
Wave of syringe attacks mar France's street music festival
PARIS - French police have detained twelve suspects after 145 people reported being pricked with syringes during the country's annual street music festival, officials said on Sunday. Millions of people took to the streets across France on Saturday evening for the Fete de la Musique, with authorities reporting "unprecedented crowds" in Paris. Before the party, posts on Snapchat and other social media had called for targeting women during the festivities. The interior ministry said 145 victims reported being stabbed with needles across the country, with Paris police reporting 13 cases in the capital. Officials did not specify if they were cases of so-called needle spiking with date-rape drugs such as Rohypnol or GHB, used by attackers to render victims confused or unconscious and vulnerable to sexual assault. But at least three people reported feeling unwell, and "Some victims were taken to hospital for toxicological tests," the ministry said. In Paris, investigations were opened after three people, including a 15-year-old girl and an 18-year-old male, reported being stabbed in three different locations in Paris, prosecutors said. All three suffered from feeling unwell. Twelve people suspected of being responsible for the stabbings were arrested, the interior ministry said. They are believed to have targeted around 50 victims, according to a police source. AFP | ROMAIN PERROCHEAU Apart from those suspects, more than 370 people were detained during the festival on various charges, including nearly 90 people in Paris. Fourteen participants in the festivities were seriously injured, including a 17-year-old who was hospitalised after being found sitting on the street with stab wounds to the lower abdomen.
France 24
10 hours ago
- France 24
Syringe attacks mar France's Fête de la Musique summer street festival
French police have detained twelve suspects after 145 people reported being pricked with syringes during the country's annual street music festival, officials said Sunday. Millions of people took to the streets across France on Saturday evening for the Fête de la Musique, with authorities reporting "unprecedented crowds" in Paris. Before the party, posts on Snapchat and other social media had called for targeting women during the festivities. The interior ministry said 145 victims reported being stabbed with needles across the country, with Paris police reporting 13 cases in the capital. Officials did not specify if they were cases of so-called needle spiking with date-rape drugs such as Rohypnol or GHB, used by attackers to render victims confused or unconscious and vulnerable to sexual assault. "Some victims were taken to hospital for toxicological tests," the ministry said. In Paris, investigations were opened after three people including a 15-year-old girl and an 18-year-old male, reported being stabbed in three different locations in Paris, prosecutors said. All three reported that they felt unwell. Twelve people suspected of being responsible for the stabbings were arrested across the country, the interior ministry said. They are believed to have targeted around 50 victims, according to a police source. Apart from those suspects, more than 370 people were detained during the festival on various charges, including nearly 90 people in Paris. Fourteen participants in the festivities were seriously injured, including a 17-year-old who was hospitalised after being found sitting on the street with stab wounds to the lower abdomen. Thirteen members of law enforcement were also injured.
GMA Network
10 hours ago
- GMA Network
Wave of syringe attacks mars France's street music festival
Festivalgoers watch a concert in the Tuileries garden during the Fete de la Musique, in Paris on June 21, 2025. Geoffroy van der Hasselt/ AFP PARIS — French police have detained twelve suspects after 145 people reported being pricked with syringes during the country's annual street music festival, officials said Sunday. Millions of people took to the streets across France on Saturday evening for the Fete de la Musique, with authorities reporting "unprecedented crowds" in Paris. Before the party, posts on Snapchat and other social media had called for targeting women during the festivities. The interior ministry said 145 victims reported being stabbed with needles across the country, with Paris police reporting 13 cases in the capital. Officials did not specify if they were cases of so-called needle-spiking with date-rape drugs such as Rohypnol or GHB, used by attackers to render victims confused or unconscious and vulnerable to sexual assault. But at least three people reported feeling unwell. "Some victims were taken to hospital for toxicological tests," the ministry said. In Paris, investigations were opened after three people including a 15-year-old girl and an 18-year-old male, reported being stabbed in three different locations in Paris, prosecutors said. All three suffered from feeling unwell. Twelve people suspected of being responsible for the stabbings were arrested, the interior ministry said. They are believed to have targeted around 50 victims, according to a police source. Apart from those suspects, more than 370 people were detained during the festival on various charges, including nearly 90 people in Paris. Fourteen participants in the festivities were seriously injured, including a 17-year-old who was hospitalized after being found sitting on the street with stab wounds to the lower abdomen. Thirteen members of law enforcement were also injured. — Agence France-Presse
LeMonde
11 hours ago
- LeMonde
Wave of syringe attacks mar France's music street festival
French police have detained 12 suspects after 145 people reported being pricked with syringes during the country's annual street music festival, officials said Sunday, June 22. Before the party, posts on Snapchat and other social media had called for targeting women during the festivities. Millions of people took to the streets across France on Saturday evening for the Fête de la Musique, with authorities reporting "unprecedented crowds" in Paris. The Interior Ministry said 145 victims reported being stabbed with needles across the country, with Paris police reporting 13 cases in the capital. Officials did not specify if they were cases of so-called needle spiking with date-rape drugs such as Rohypnol or GHB, used by attackers to render victims confused or unconscious and vulnerable to sexual assault. But at least three people reported feeling unwell, and "Some victims were taken to hospital for toxicological tests," the ministry said. In Paris, investigations were opened after three people, including a 15-year-old girl and an 18-year-old male, reported being pricked in three different locations in Paris, prosecutors said. All three suffered from feeling unwell. Twelve people suspected of committing syringe attacks were arrested, the Interior Ministry said. They are believed to have targeted around 50 victims, according to a police source. Apart from those suspects, more than 370 people were detained during the festival on various charges, including nearly 90 people in Paris. Fourteen participants in the festivities were seriously injured, including a 17-year-old who was hospitalized after being found sitting on the street with stab wounds to the lower abdomen. Thirteen members of law enforcement were also injured.
