Two adolescent boys in a Paris suburb have been charged with raping a 12-year-old girl and committing violence motivated by religion, according to French authorities. The incident, which took place in the town of Courbevoie, has sparked shock and concern, particularly amidst a recent increase in antisemitic acts in France linked to the Israel-Hamas conflict.
The girl reported the rape on Saturday, leading to the detention of three boys aged 12 and 13. Two of the boys were charged with aggravated gang rape on a minor under 15, as well as other offenses including violence, public insult motivated by religion, death threats, attempted extortion, and unlawfully recording or broadcasting sexual images.
While the prosecutor's office did not disclose the girl's religion or identity in line with victim protection policies for hate crimes in France, local media reports and the town mayor have identified her as Jewish, labeling the incident as an antisemitic attack.
The two accused boys are currently in custody pending further investigation, while the third boy has been named as an assisted witness to the alleged rape and placed in a special education program.
The attack has drawn condemnation from political leaders across the spectrum in France. Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin described the incident as 'awful' and highlighted the challenges faced by law enforcement in preventing such violence, attributing it to broader societal issues and parental responsibility.
As France gears up for snap parliamentary elections, with security and immigration emerging as key campaign topics, the incident has underscored the importance of addressing underlying social issues to prevent such heinous acts in the future.
