12 Arrested After "Syringe Assaults" Target Women at French Music Festival

At least 145 people were injured in coordinated "syringe assaults" during France's Fête de la Musique festival on Saturday, prompting authorities to investigate posts on social media that had called for women to be targeted, France 24 reports.

French police have detained 12 suspects across multiple cities following the attacks during the celebration, which annually draws millions of participants to street performances and outdoor concerts.

The attacks were first reported in the eastern city of Metz between Place de la République and Place Saint-Jacques in the city center, where 17 young women were transported to a local hospital after being injected with syringes. They are predominantly minors and aged between 14 and 20, Mayor François Grosdidier said in a Facebook post.

A man was reportedly arrested at the scene in Metz after being identified by one of his victims. 

"On social networks, a call for syringe assaults has been launched during the Music Festivals in major cities," Grosdidier wrote. "It happened in two other cities in Moselle and all over France."

In Paris, prosecutors officially launched investigations after three people, one of whom was a 15-year-old girl, were jabbed in separate episodes. Each victim reported "feeling unwell," but the contents of the injections have not yet been determined by authorities. The city ultimately reported 13 similar incidents.

The Fête de la Musique, established in 1982, annually transforms French cities into outdoor concert venues with free performances. This year's celebration was overshadowed by the widespread nature of the attacks, which targeted primarily young women and teenagers.

Several parents reported their children had seen threatening messages on platforms like TikTok prior to the start of Fête de la Musique.

"I wanted to take my wife and children to the Fête de la Musique in Metz," one father told La Republicain Lorrain. "My 13-year-old daughter told me she didn’t want to go because of the messages she saw on TikTok. So we stayed home."

Over 370 people were reportedly arrested on various charges over the festival's duration. 14 attendees were seriously injured, including a 17-year-old who was hospitalized with stab wounds to the lower abdomen. 13 members of law enforcement were also injured, according to local reports.

Investigations into the coordinated syringe attacks remain ongoing.