Blood on the Sidewalk: French Rabbi Attacked Twice in a Week as Antisemitic Violence Surges 

The Nanterre prosecutor’s office opened an investigation into the Neuilly attack, classifying it as religiously motivated violence. The suspect, identified via German-language documents, was detained but hospitalized after a psychiatric evaluation. CRIF, the umbrella organization of France’s Jewish groups, condemned the “antisemitic attack” on X, stating, “In a general context where hatred of Israel fuels the stigmatization of Jews on a daily basis, this attack is yet another illustration of the toxic climate targeting French Jews.”

France, home to Europe’s largest Jewish community, has seen a surge in antisemitic incidents since the Gaza war began on October 7, 2023, following Hamas’s attack on Israel. Official data from March 2025 reported an 11% rise in racist, xenophobic, and anti-religious crimes in 2024, though specific breakdowns by religion were not provided. Last week, France’s Holocaust memorial, three Paris synagogues, and a restaurant were vandalized with green paint.

Former Prime Minister Gabriel Attal called the attack on Lemmel “sickening” on X, labeling antisemitism a “deadly poison for our society.” Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau added, “Attacking a person because of their faith is a shame,” urging collective action against anti-religious acts.