Controversial Removal of French Teens Sparks Accusations of Antisemitism

A summer camp counsellor accused Spanish police of using excessive force against French Jewish teenagers removed from a Valencia-Paris flight. French ministers Aurore Berge and Benjamin Haddad have called for a thorough investigation into alleged discrimination, emphasizing their stance against antisemitism.

A summer camp counsellor has accused Spanish police of exerting excessive force against a group of French Jewish teenagers during their removal from a flight bound for Paris from Spain, officials reported Wednesday.

French ministers Aurore Berge and Benjamin Haddad met the counsellor on Tuesday, sparked by French authorities' inquiries regarding potential religious discrimination. The incident involved 44 minors and eight adults who were ejected from flight V8166 from Valencia on July 23, reportedly due to unruly behavior, according to Spanish police and Vueling airlines.

However, the counsellor, remaining anonymous and 'shocked', contends the removal was unprovoked, and French ministers corroborate her account through other passenger testimonies. Amid rising antisemitic acts in Europe, the ministers demand a full investigation, refuting the normalization of antisemitism. Vueling denies religious bias, while the Civil Guard claims ignorance of the passengers' faith.

(With inputs from agencies.)