France's largest open-air music festival, the Fête de la Musique, descended into violence early Monday, June 22, resulting in two stabbings, multiple rapes, and more than 240 arrests nationwide. The nationwide street party, which drew thousands of British attendees, saw attacks in Toulouse, Colomiers, and Paris.
Stabbings and hospitalizations
A 40-year-old man was stabbed near midnight in Toulouse, while a woman was knifed in nearby Colomiers shortly after. Both victims, who have not been named, were hospitalized and reported to be in stable condition. An investigating source stated: "Camera footage of the Fête de la Musique is being studied to try and find those using knives to stab people."
Syringe attacks and sexual assaults
Police reported over ten incidents of women being attacked with syringes, with unidentified substances injected into them. In Paris, a man was briefly detained for carrying syringes on his belt but escaped. A young woman in the 9th arrondissement was stung and then raped in a private residence around 9:30 pm, according to an Interior Ministry spokesman. In the northern suburb of Gagny, a 48-year-old man was arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl. In Nogent-sur-Marne, a 15-year-old girl reported being raped after attending a concert.
Arrests and chaos in Paris
Over two million people attended the festival in Paris, where trouble began around 11 pm in the Châtelet area near Notre Dame Cathedral. Car windows were smashed, shops were targeted, and thefts were widespread. There were 148 arrests in Paris alone and 243 across France, according to the Interior Ministry. A British witness, Steve, said: "Streets became dangerously overcrowded, and trouble makers took advantage." A group of young men, some in Paris St Germain football shirts, began punching people, causing chaos. An eyewitness added: "People were screaming, and there was a real fear that the fighting would cause a massive crush as people tried to get away."
Police response and presidential plea
Officers used tear gas to control crowds in the St Germain de Prés district across the River Seine. The violence followed President Emmanuel Macron's plea for calm after Paris St Germain supporters rioted following their Champions League final victory over Arsenal last month. Macron urged vigilance: "We are all going to be very vigilant, and you have to be vigilant yourselves – for yourselves, for your loved ones, for the most vulnerable. It is very important to follow all the recommendations, to celebrate and to be happy at this time, but to be so while being vigilant about the temperature."
