During last weekend’s national Fête de la Musique celebrations, some of the largest crowds seen in recent years, a disturbing wave of so‑called “syringe attacks” occurred across France. Authorities report a total of 145 victims — predominantly teenage and young adult women — were jabbed with needles while attending free outdoor music concerts in cities including Paris, Metz, Tours, Évreux, and Rouen.
French Interior Ministry officials confirmed that 12 suspects have been arrested in connection with the incidents. Police investigations indicate that some of the syringe-related calls originated on social media prior to the festival, with a shocking directive to target women attendees.
In the capital, Paris reported 13 separate cases, including incidents involving a 15‑year‑old girl and an 18‑year‑old man, both of whom experienced symptoms such as nausea or dizziness and received medical evaluation. Across the country, several victims were hospitalized for observation and underwent toxicology testing, though it remains unclear whether the needles were contaminated with drugs like GHB or Rohypnol.
In Metz, the first reported attack occurred at approximately 9:15 p.m., according to Mayor François Grosdidier. Local police arrested a suspect soon after, aided by CCTV footage and victim identification. Hospitals reportedly treated over a dozen women aged 14 to 20 for needle-related injuries.
Firefighters and emergency services established aid stations in public squares, including Place d’Armes in Metz, quickly attending to victims while authorities launched the manhunt for other perpetrators.
While past incidents in 2022 raised alarm around similar attacks in nightclubs and festivals, public health officials warn that these types of syringe incidents—whether or not they involve actual drug injections—create psychological trauma and pose a risk of secondary infection.
At this year’s events, law enforcement responded with heightened vigilance: more than 370 people were detained during the festival nationwide, nearly 90 of them in Paris alone. Authorities have urged festival-goers to report symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, or visible marks, and to seek medical care and toxicology screening. The investigations remain ongoing.
