France in turmoil after the alleged rape of a 12-year-old Jewish girl

Two French teenagers have been accused of sexually assaulting a 12-year-old Jewish girl whom they allegedly called a “dirty Jew”, amid a dark backdrop of the country's anti-Jewish past during World War II. The incident sparked widespread outrage across France and Jewish groups took to the streets to protest rising anti-Semitism.

President Emmanuel therefore admitted that schools in France were threatened by the “scourge of anti-Semitism”, with police declaring that it was indeed a hate crime. The French president, currently campaigning for early elections announced in response to his party's defeat in the European elections, has tasked his Education Minister, Nicole Belloubet, with raising awareness of anti-Semitism in schools.

“The horror has no limits. Rape, anti-Semitism: everything is abominable in this crime committed in Courbevoie against a 12-year-old girl,” Belloubet wrote on X, formerly Twitter. She added: “Justice, School, Republic: a single response against barbarism.”

Two 13-year-old boys were charged on June 18 with several counts, including sexual assault.

A third boy, aged 12, was charged with offenses relating to witnessing the alleged crime.

French newspaper Le Monde described the police report as “unbearable” in its details.

In recent years, French Jews have been victims of several acts of anti-Semitism.

Jewish groups have reported an increase in acts of anti-Semitism following Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7 and the subsequent war in Gaza.

Haïm Korsia, the chief rabbi of France, wrote on X that he was “horrified” by the alleged rape. “Justice must firmly sanction the perpetrators of this despicable act,” Korsia wrote.

Also watch | Siege of Gaza triggers rise in anti-Semitism; France and Russia witness anti-Jewish sentiment | WION

Meanwhile, Marine Le Pen's National Rally withdrew its support for a local candidate who said in a now-deleted 2018 social media post that “gas brought justice to the victims of the Holocaust.”

Marine Le Pen also joined politicians from all political stripes to denounce this sexual assault.

“The anti-Semitic attack and the rape of a 12-year-old child in Hauts-de-Seine revolt us,” Le Pen wrote on X.

“The explosion of anti-Semitic acts, up 300% compared to the first three months of 2023, must alert all French people: the stigmatization of Jews for months by the far left through the instrumentalization of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a real threat to civil society. the peace. Everyone should be fully aware of this on June 30 and July 7, when the elections are scheduled.

(With contribution from agencies)