Police have launched an investigation after 17 girls and women were reportedly attacked by a ‘syringe-wielding man’ at a music festival attended by 50,000 people in Metz, France
Around 17 young girls and women were rushed to hospital after they were allegedly pricked by a man with a syringe while at a music festival in France. It’s thought more than 50,000 people were in attendance at the event in Metz as thousands of people celebrated World Music Day on Saturday evening. According to Le Républicain Lorrain, 17 females were “victims of syringe injections” during the Fête de la Musique.
The victims, believed to be aged between 14 and 20, were targeted by one or more people at around 10pm, according to the local outlet. Firefighters were reported to have taken the victims into care and they were rushed to hospital for tests, François Grosdidier, the mayor of Metz, confirmed.
The mayor added: “It’s Saturday night and it’s still hot… There are a lot of people, people everywhere, in all the city centre streets.” Mr Grosdidier estimated that there were around 50,000 people at the festival.
The alleged attacks happened between two popular spots in Metz’s city centre, Place de la République and Place Saint-Jacques. One man has been in arrested in connection with the attacks. He was taken to a local police station and questioned by cops.
No update has been provided on the girls’ conditions. Police remained in Metz throughout the remainder of the event with pictures taken at the scene showing Mr Grosdidier speaking to officers.
It comes after a French teaching assistant was allegedly stabbed to death by a pupil earlier this month. Named only as Melanie G, the single mum died on June 10 and had only started work as a teacher at the Françoise Dolto secondary school, in Nogent-sur-Marne, in the eastern Paris suburbs, last year.
The mum suffered multiple stab wounds to her body during a ‘senseless’ attack minutes before classes began. It is alleged the teaching assistant was searching children’s bags for knives, in line with national education policy, when she was fatally attacked.
A 14-year-old boy was arrested in connection with the killing and was later charged with “murder of a person in a position of authority”. As a minor, the suspect faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison instead of life imprisonment.
In April, a knife attack at Notre-Dame-de-Toutes-Aides private school in the Doulon area of Nantes, France caused the death of one teenager and left three others injured.
The 15-year-old attacker was reportedly stopped attacking additional students by teachers, who bravely overpowered the armed boy.
French prime minister, François Bayrou, called for a crackdown on teenage knife crime following the attack. “This tragedy shows once again the endemic violence that exists in a part of our youth,” Bayrou said in a statement.
“Fundamental questions must be asked in terms of education, values and respect for human life.”