France Probes Needle Attacks at Music Festival as Over 140 Victims Come Forward

French authorities are investigating a troubling wave of syringe attacks that took place during the country's popular Fête de la Musique street music festival.

Over the weekend, at least 145 people reported being pricked by syringes across multiple cities, with Paris alone accounting for 13 confirmed cases.

The French Interior Ministry confirmed that 12 suspects were arrested on Sunday in connection with these incidents.

According to RollingStone, among those detained, four are from the city of Angoulême and are believed to have targeted around 50 victims.

The authorities are still trying to determine whether the syringe pricks involved "needle spiking," a disturbing tactic where attackers inject victims with date-rape drugs such as Rohypnol or GHB. These drugs can leave individuals confused, unconscious, or vulnerable to further harm.

"The ministry is taking this very seriously," said a spokeswoman from the Interior Ministry. "Toxicology tests are underway, and the investigation continues." The ministry has not yet confirmed if any drugs were found in the victims' systems.

The Fête de la Musique is a nationwide festival where millions gather to enjoy live music on the streets.

Needle Attacks Raise Safety Concerns at France's Nationwide Festival

This year, Paris saw unusually large crowds — three to four times the normal number, according to Laurent Nuñez, the Paris police chief. Such a large turnout made the attacks all the more alarming.

Before the festival, feminist voices like Abrège Soeur raised concerns about calls on social media encouraging attacks on women using syringes, CNN said.

"These are extremely serious incidents," Nuñez told French media outlet CNews. He also condemned the online calls to target women as "completely idiotic."

Among the victims in Paris were a 15-year-old girl and an 18-year-old man, both of whom reported feeling unwell after being pricked. The cases have prompted prosecutors to open investigations.

These needle attacks aren't entirely new—similar incidents were reported during last year's Fête de la Musique and at other public gatherings.

Because of this, authorities are urging everyone enjoying the festival to stay alert and speak up if they see anything suspicious.

Besides the arrests related to the syringe cases, police across France detained over 370 people during the weekend for various reasons, including nearly 90 in Paris alone.

Fourteen festivalgoers were seriously hurt, though it's still unclear whether their injuries were connected to the needle incidents.

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Music festival