Jun 5, 2025
France is experiencing a troubling surge in antisemitic incidents, sparking alarm and urgent appeals from the Jewish community for stronger government intervention. Despite heightened security measures following last month’s antisemitic shooting in Washington, DC, violence and vandalism continue to escalate. In Deauville, Rabbi Eli Lemel was assaulted by three intoxicated individuals who punched him and hurled antisemitic slurs. Though authorities have launched an investigation, no arrests have been made. In the aftermath, Lemel called on the Jewish community to remain spiritually resilient. Elsewhere, a man in Conflans-Sainte-Honorine was arrested for tearing down and attempting to burn an Israeli flag on a synagogue, while officials confirmed he would face charges related to religiously motivated property damage.
The wave of hostility has also included coordinated acts of vandalism, such as green paint attacks on synagogues, a Jewish restaurant, and the Paris Holocaust Memorial. Three Serbian nationals were arrested in connection with the graffiti, raising suspicions of foreign interference. In Lyon, an elementary school with no known Jewish ties was set on fire and defaced with swastikas and pro-Palestinian slogans. French officials and community leaders have condemned these acts, highlighting a disturbing trend of using the Palestinian cause as a pretext for antisemitism. Yonathan Arfi, president of CRIF, warned that allowing radical anti-Israel rhetoric to fester is endangering both Jews and the broader French Republic. As tensions rise, Jewish leaders are calling for a unified stand against hatred disguised as political expression.
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SOURCE: The Algemeiner