Rising Tide of Hate: Anti-Semitic Attacks in France

Elie Lemmel, a French rabbi, has been attacked twice in a week, reflecting the broader rise in anti-Semitic hate crimes across France. These incidents highlight the growing threat against religious communities, with authorities urging increased vigilance and solidarity to combat the menace of hate-driven violence.

A French rabbi, Elie Lemmel, faced his second attack in a week, underscoring a worrying upsurge in hate crimes across the nation. On Friday, while seated in a Neuilly-sur-Seine cafe, Lemmel was struck on the head with a chair, a brutal act he initially attributed to an accident.

This incident echoes a prior assault in Deauville, Normandy, where Lemmel was punched in the stomach. Despite being accustomed to verbal abuse, the physical attacks mark a dangerous escalation. The Nanterre prosecutor's office confirmed an investigation targeting religiously-motivated violence is underway.

Former Prime Minister Gabriel Attal condemned the attack, noting antisemitism is a societal poison. France's Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau also called for unified action against the rise in hate crimes, a trend manifested by an 11% increase in racially and religiously motivated offences as of last year.

(With inputs from agencies.)