France Arrests 12 Over 145 Syringe Attacks at Nationwide Festival

During the nationwide Fête de la Musique music festival in France, 145 people reported being pricked with syringes, prompting the detention of 12 suspects. The incidents occurred amid unprecedented crowds in cities such as Paris, Angoulême, Metz, Rouen, and Évreux, with many victims being teenage girls and some taken to hospitals for toxicological tests. Authorities have not confirmed if the syringes contained date-rape drugs like Rohypnol or GHB, though investigations continue. Prior to the festival, social media posts had called for women to be targeted, raising public concern and warnings from feminist influencers. French police noted that some suspects, particularly in Angoulême, were believed to have targeted multiple victims, and the attacks echo similar syringe spiking incidents reported across European music events in recent years. The festival also saw over 370 arrests for various offenses and heightened vigilance from law enforcement.