Teenage girls as young as 14 targeted in coordinated needle assault during beloved music festival after vile social media campaign
Millions of revellers who took to the cobblestone streets of France for an evening of music and celebration found themselves caught in a nightmare of needle attacks that left 145 people injured and sparked a nationwide manhunt.
The horrifying wave of syringe assaults swept across the country during Saturday night’s Fête de la Musique – France’s beloved annual street music festival – with victims rushing to hospitals for emergency toxicology tests amid fears they’d been injected with date-rape drugs.
Social Media’s Sinister Role
What makes these attacks even more chilling? Police revealed that twisted calls on social media platforms, including Snapchat, had circulated before the festival specifically urging attackers to target women, according to multiple French authorities.
The sinister online campaign appears to have worked. Young women and teenage girls made up the majority of victims, with some as young as 14 years old requiring hospitalisation after being pricked with needles in crowded festival areas.
Chaos in the Capital
Paris bore the brunt of the attacks with 13 confirmed victims in the capital alone, where authorities reported “unprecedented crowds” had gathered for the summer solstice celebration. The interior ministry confirmed that victims across the country included both men and women, though teenage girls appeared to be deliberately targeted.
In one particularly disturbing case, a 15-year-old girl and an 18-year-old man in Paris reported feeling unwell after being stabbed in separate incidents, prompting immediate medical intervention.
Emergency Response in Metz
The picturesque city of Metz became ground zero for the emergency response when the first attack was reported at 9:15 PM on Rue du Palais. Mayor François Grosdidier confirmed that around fifteen young women between the ages of 14 and 20 fell victim to the needle attacks in his city alone.
“Firefighters intervened promptly to each attack in large numbers,” Grosdidier stated, revealing that emergency services had to establish a makeshift triage centre at Place d’Armes to handle the influx of terrified victims.
The attacks weren’t confined to one location – similar incidents were reported at Place de la République and Place Saint-Jacques, suggesting a coordinated assault across multiple festival sites.
Swift Arrests But Questions Remain
French police moved quickly to detain 12 suspects nationwide, with authorities in Angoulême alleging that just four suspects in their city may have targeted up to 50 individuals. One suspect in Metz was caught on CCTV and arrested after being identified by a victim – but mysteriously, no syringes were found on his person.
The lack of physical evidence has left investigators scrambling to understand the full scope of the attacks. Were the perpetrators working alone or as part of a larger network? What substances, if any, were in the syringes?
Toxicology Tests Underway
While some victims reported feeling unwell after being pricked, the interior ministry confirmed that multiple people were taken to hospitals for urgent toxicology testing. Officials haven’t yet confirmed whether the syringes contained date-rape drugs like Rohypnol or GHB – substances commonly used by predators to incapacitate victims.
The agonising wait for test results has left victims and their families in limbo, uncertain about what substances they may have been exposed to during what should have been a joyful celebration.
Festival Turned Battleground
The syringe attacks weren’t the only violence to mar the festivities. Beyond the needle assaults, 14 people were seriously injured during the night’s chaos, including a 17-year-old who was hospitalised with stab wounds to the lower abdomen – found sitting alone on the street in critical condition.
Thirteen police officers were also injured as they battled to control crowds and respond to multiple incidents across the country. In total, more than 370 people were arrested nationwide on various charges, with nearly 90 detained in Paris alone.
A Tradition Under Threat
The Fête de la Musique, which translates to “Music Festival”, has been a cherished French tradition since 1982. Every June 21st, on the summer solstice, millions pour into streets and public spaces for free concerts and impromptu performances that transform cities into massive open-air music venues.
This year’s unprecedented attacks have cast a dark shadow over an event designed to bring communities together through the universal language of music. The festival, which also takes place in cities worldwide, had never before seen violence on this scale.
Investigation Intensifies
Authorities are now poring over CCTV footage and examining suspects’ mobile phones in hopes of identifying additional attackers and understanding whether the assaults were coordinated. Mayor Grosdidier expressed hope that digital evidence would help “identify other attackers” involved in the widespread assault.
The investigation has taken on added urgency given the apparent premeditation suggested by the social media posts calling for attacks on women. How many people saw these posts? Who originated them? These are questions investigators are racing to answer.
Nation on Edge
As France grapples with the aftermath of these shocking attacks, questions about public safety at large gatherings have taken centre stage. How could a celebration of music and culture transform into a scene of such widespread violence?
For the 145 victims – many of them young women who simply wanted to enjoy a summer evening of music – the trauma of these attacks will likely linger long after any physical wounds have healed. The Fête de la Musique may never feel quite the same again.
