French police detained 12 suspects after 145 people, mostly women and teenage girls, reported being pricked by syringes during the annual Fête de la Musique festival over the weekend, CNN reported. Authorities said “unprecedented crowds” filled the streets of Paris on Saturday night, June 21, as millions across the country celebrated the annual street festival.
With free concerts and musical performances taking place in public spaces like streets, parks and squares, Paris Police Chief Laurent Nuñez said the city had three to four times its usual foot traffic.
Attacks reported across France
Incidents were reported across the country, with 13 occurring in Paris, according to police. Three people, including two teenagers, were reportedly stabbed in separate incidents in the city and later said they felt unwell.
Across the country, 12 suspects were arrested, including four in the city of Angoulême, who were linked to 50 possible victims, CBS News reported.
Two men were arrested in the city of Metz for suspected syringe attacks. One of the suspects had a syringe, and a woman identified the other as her attacker, according to The Guardian.
Needle spiking suspected, unconfirmed
Investigators did not say if the assaults were “needle spiking,” which is when the attacker uses a needle to inject a victim with a drug – usually a sedative or “date-rape” drug, which can incapacitate someone by making them confused, drowsy or unconscious, leaving them vulnerable to sexual assault or theft.
A spokesperson for France’s interior minister said toxicology tests are underway and that the investigation remains ongoing.
Before the street festival, there were calls on social media to target women, CBS News reported.
Previous incidents across Europe
Similar unexplained syringe attacks have been reported in European nightlife settings in recent years. In 2022, several European countries reported widespread but elusive needle-pricking incidents, primarily among young women. Many victims experienced alarming symptoms and visible injection marks, yet toxicology rarely detected drugs.
More arrests on night of festival
Paris police also arrested 371 people across France on Saturday night, including nearly 90 in the city, for other incidents not related to the needle attacks.
