French police have detained 12 suspects after 145 people reported being pricked with syringes during the country's annual Fête de la Musique street music festival this weekend. The interior ministry said the victims reported being stabbed with needles at outdoor music events across France, with Paris police recording 13 cases in the capital.
Investigations were opened in Paris after three people, including a 15-year-old girl and an 18-year-old man, reported being stabbed in separate incidents. All three said they felt unwell. In the south-western city of Angoulême, four people were suspected of targeting about 50 victims, while in Metz two men were arrested on suspicion of syringe attacks, with the local prosecutor's office saying alleged victims were believed to be under 18.
The interior ministry did not confirm whether these incidents involved date-rape drugs such as Rohypnol or GHB, but some victims were taken to hospital for toxicological tests. The fears echo a wave of similar reports in 2022, when several hundred complaints were made across France, leading to government warnings about vigilance at night.
During the weekend's festivities, more than 370 people were detained nationwide on various charges, including nearly 90 in Paris. Fourteen participants were seriously injured, including a 17-year-old hospitalised with stab wounds to the lower abdomen.
