Incident of a 12-year-old Jewish girl accused of rape prompts outcry of antisemitism in France
Political figures from various sides have commented on the alleged assault, with French President Emmanuel Macron criticizing a sustained issue of antisemitism in French educational institutions, which he says is thriving. Far-right leaders, on the other hand, are pointing fingers at the left for not taking antisemitism seriously enough.
The Nanterre prosecutor's office revealed on Wednesday that they've initiated an investigation into an "aggravated sexual assault" of a minor, following reports from a 12-year-old girl about the incident that occurred on June 15.
Three boys, aged 12 and 13, have been apprehended, the prosecutor also declared.
Whether the girl was targeted due to her religious background forms part of the investigation. Currently, two of the boys are under investigation for aggravated gang rape of a minor, group violence against a minor due to religious factors, death threats, and hate speech based on religion, as per the prosecutor's statement.
The third boy is currently labeled as an "assisted witness" in relation to the alleged assault, according to the prosecutor's additional information.
The alleged assault occurred when the girl was making her way home after meeting a friend. Two boys tried to obstruct her path outside her house, and a third boy joined in, leading to a physical attack on the girl while hurling antisemitic slurs at her, as reported by BFMTV, citing law enforcement sources.
The girl endured numerous death threats, and one of the boys referred to her as a "filthy Jew," according to the account given by BFMTV.
Antisemitic incidents have surged by 284% in France between the years 2022 and 2023, according to statistics from the French Ministry of the Interior. In 2023, antisemitic acts accounted for 60% of all religious hate crimes, compared to 26% in 2022, as revealed by French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin to the French Senate earlier this year.
Rising concerns about antisemitism
The incident has ignited a significant political discussion about what politicians are describing as an escalating antisemitism issue in France related to Israel's conflict in Gaza.
On Wednesday, Jordan Bardella, the far-right politician aiming for significant gains for his National Rally party in the upcoming elections, vowed to address antisemitism if elected in three weeks. "Since October 7, an atmosphere of antisemitism has permeated and expanded in an extremely concerning manner in our country, which we must counter," Bardella stated to reporters.
Bardella's National Rally party colleague and prominent far-right figure, Marine Le Pen, expressed disgust over the incident, emphasizing the rise in antisemitic incidents across the country in a post on X.
Le Pen stated that the recent increase in the aftermath of the Israel-Hamas conflict indicates a troublesome "stigmatization" of Jewish people that "everyone should be fully aware of" when voting on June 30 and July 7.
French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, meanwhile, described the incident as "despicable" and directly criticized his political adversary on the left, Jean-Luc Melenchon, for previously minimizing the gravity of antisemitism in France by referring to it as a "residual" issue.
Attal emphasized that political figures in France have a "duty" to prevent antisemitic discourse from becoming "normalized," warning that if normalized, it can lead young people to dangerous situations.
Melenchon, for his part, expressed horror over the rape, stating in a social media post that "this rape raises serious questions about the conditioning of criminal male behavior from a young age, and antisemitic racism."
Anger from voters about the issue seemed palpable on Wednesday, as protesters gathered outside Paris' city hall, according to reporting from BFMTV.
Protesters carried signs with slogans such as "Raped at 12 due to being Jewish" and "Antisemitism is not residual," and listened to speeches from Jewish rights activists present.
"All aspects of this crime, including its antisemitic nature, if confirmed, must be thoroughly investigated," the main Jewish advocacy group in France, the Conseil Représentatif des Institutions Juives de France (CRIF), said.
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The incident of antisemitism in France has sparked concerns about the prevalence of antisemitism not just within educational institutions but also across Europe. Recently, statistics revealed a 284% surge in antisemitic incidents in France between 2022 and 2023.
Political debates in France have focused on the escalating antisemitism issue, with politicians from various parties agreeing on the need to address this problem, reaching beyond French borders to European societies.
