Syringe Attacks During France’s Music Festival Leave 145 Jabbed, Trigger National Alarm

Paris, June 24, 2025 — France’s annual Fête de la Musique, a vibrant celebration of street music held nationwide on June 21, was marred by a chilling wave of syringe attacks. Authorities confirmed that at least 145 people, mostly teenage girls, were pricked with unknown substances via syringes during festivities across cities including Paris, Metz, Tours, Évreux, Rouen, and Angoulême.

The alarming incidents prompted police action and widespread concern over public safety. The Paris police reported 13 cases, while Metz Mayor François Grosdidier revealed that 17 women had been affected in his city alone. Twelve suspects have been arrested so far in relation to the attacks, and many of them were reportedly found in possession of syringes.

Medical teams responded by hospitalizing several victims for tests. Investigations are underway to determine if date-rape drugs like GHB or Rohypnol were used. While experts noted that drugging someone with a syringe in such settings is difficult, the attacks sparked renewed public anxiety and calls for better security at mass gatherings.

Disturbingly, warnings had already circulated on social media in the days leading up to the event, including messages that encouraged targeting women. Feminist activists and safety groups had raised alarms, but the scale of actual incidents exceeded expectations.

The French Interior Ministry termed the attacks “extremely serious,” assuring the public that toxicology testing and law enforcement actions are in full motion. This is not the first such occurrence in France—syringe-spiking cases were also reported at nightclubs and public festivals in 2022, prompting earlier government advisories.

In total, police made over 370 arrests during the music festival, including those unrelated to the syringe incidents. Several officers and attendees also sustained injuries during crowd control operations, adding to concerns over festival safety.

As investigations continue, public officials are calling for urgent reforms to protect citizens, especially women, from such stealth attacks during future large-scale events.