French authorities are actively searching for an assailant who attacked a man leaving a synagogue in Paris, as confirmed by Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin. The incident, described as a new antisemitic attack, took place on Friday evening in Paris's 20th arrondissement. The victim, a man in his early 60s, was physically and verbally assaulted by the assailant as he exited the synagogue around 5:30 p.m. local time.
According to reports from French media, the assailant repeatedly kicked and punched the victim while shouting an ethnic slur. The victim was subsequently taken to a hospital for treatment, while the attacker managed to flee the scene on foot.
This attack occurred shortly after Interior Minister Darmanin had ordered increased security measures to protect Jewish communities across France, particularly around schools and places of worship. The minister emphasized the importance of safeguarding these locations in light of recent events in the Middle East.
France has witnessed a concerning rise in antisemitic incidents following the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7. Data from the Interior Ministry and the Jewish Community Protection Service revealed a significant increase, with 1,676 antisemitic acts reported in 2023 compared to 436 the previous year.
Similar incidents have been reported across Europe, highlighting a broader trend of rising antisemitism. In Switzerland, a teenager was recently arrested on suspicion of stabbing and critically injuring an Orthodox Jewish man in Zurich. Authorities in Switzerland have indicated that antisemitism is being considered as a possible motive in this case.
