A young man was arrested on suspicion of attacking a rabbi in the French city of Orleans, over the weekend, prompting Emmanuel Macron to describe anti-Semitism as a “poison”.
The attacker allegedly hit the rabbi of Orleans on the head, bit him on the shoulder and insulted him as he was walking back from synagogue with his nine-year-old son on Saturday afternoon, a source told AFP.
Several sources said Rabbi Arie Engelberg was hit on the cheek and shoulder blade.
Emmanuelle Bochenek-Puren, the Orleans prosecutor, said police were checking the identity of the person in custody since he did not have documents on him when he was detained.
Another source with knowledge of the case said the suspect arrested on Saturday night was known under at least three identities, one Moroccan and two Palestinian.
France is home to the largest Jewish population outside Israel and the United States, as well as the largest Muslim community in the European Union.
Several EU nations have reported a spike in “anti-Muslim hatred” and “anti-Semitism” since the Oct 7 massacre, according to the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights.
Andre Druon, a Jewish community leader in Orleans, said there had not been any incident in Orleans since Oct 7 “apart from some graffiti” before the “very violent” attack on the rabbi.
He said the rabbi was profoundly shaken when he recounted his ordeal to the community on Sunday.
Mr Druon said an individual “started filming” the rabbi and then attacked the religious leader when he asked him to stop recording.
Yann Dhieux, a locksmith, said he had intervened with his arms wide and helped stop the assault, but that it was shocking to see the rabbi attacked in front of his young son.
Zero tolerance
Mr Macron voiced solidarity with the rabbi’s family and all French people of the Jewish faith.
“Anti-Semitism is a poison,” he wrote on X.
Gideon Saar, Israel’s foreign minister, said he was “shocked” by the attack and called for “zero tolerance for anti-Semitism”.
France recorded some 1,570 anti-Semitic acts last year, according to the country’s interior minister. They made up 62 per cent of all acts of hatred based on religion.
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