145 people, most of them teenage girls, were stabbed with syringes at a nationwide music festival in France on Saturday, June 21, according to the New York Post. The French police detained 12 people in connection with the horrific incident.
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145 Stabbed With Syringes, Including Teen Girls, At Nationwide France Music Festival
These needle attacks happened across France at the popular Fêtes de la Musique. Several individuals have been hospitalized due to the disturbing attacks. Officials still aren’t sure if the needles injected date-rape drugs, according to the interior ministry via CNN. These types of drugs can leave the user disoriented and can cause them to fall unconscious.
According to Mayor Francois Grosdidie, the police first heard of a needle strike report around 9:15 PM. This was on the Rue du Palais in Metz. “On social networks, a call for needle attacks was launched during the Fêtes de la Musique in major cities,” said Grosdidie.
“At 9:15 p.m., a first attack of this type was reported to us on Rue du Palais. About fifteen young girls (aged 14 to 20) were victims.” Luckily, the municipal police managed to identify and arrest the suspect.
Still, this was just one of many suspects who were involved in this collective attack. “I hope that the investigation, particularly through the examination of his cellphone, will lead to the identification of other attackers,” he added.
Grosdidie also confirmed that firefighters intervened in each attack. They arrived “in large numbers (7 vehicles) then, at 11:30 p.m., created a gathering point for the victims at Place d’Armes.”
This incident has been the ministry’s number one issue as of this weekend. “The ministry is taking this very seriously,” said a spokesperson to CNN. “Toxicology tests are being done and the investigation is ongoing.”
12 Suspects In Total Arrested In Connection With Needle Attacks
Investigations began in Paris after three people reported feeling sick after getting pricked by syringes. These were separate incidents across the city, and these victims included a 15-year-old girl and an 18-year-old man.
The number of victims affected is staggering, but it makes sense given the volume of festival attendees. The Paris police chief told French broadcaster Laurent Nuñez that the crowds in Paris were three to four times larger than normal.
“These are extremely serious incidents,” said Nuñez. He also called the social media posts rallying people to inject women at this festival “completely idiotic.”
Some women took notice of these disturbing attack calls online. Influencers like Abrège Soeur took to social media themselves to warn women about the syringe attacks.