French police arrested 12 people after 145 individuals reported being pricked with syringes during the Fête de la Musique, a nationwide street music festival held over the weekend.
The French Interior Ministry reported that the attacks took place nationwide, with Paris police confirming at least 13 cases in the capital. Among those affected, three, including a 15-year-old girl and an 18-year-old man, told prosecutors they felt unwell after being pricked.
In Metz, a city in northeastern France, 17 girls reported being pricked. “Like many cities in France, Ville de Metz was not spared by these cowardly aggressions,” Metz Mayor François Grosdidier said. “Seventeen young girls (aged 14-20) were targeted as they were simply out to enjoy the evening.”
Officials have not confirmed whether these are cases of “needle spiking,” a tactic where drugs are injected without consent in public spaces. In 2022, similar incidents led to more than 370 arrests during the same festival.
Authorities said toxicology tests are underway to determine if the syringes contained substances like GHB or Rohypnol, which can leave victims disoriented or unconscious.
Warnings about the attacks first surfaced on TikTok from social media influencer Abrège Soeur, who said on Saturday that: “men are planning to attack and sting women at the Fête de la Musique on June 21st.”
Meanwhile, in addition to the needle attacks, police arrested 371 people across France on Saturday night for various incidents, according to the ministry.
