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Police arrested a man on Friday evening after he threatened Jews near a synagogue in Neuilly-sur-Seine, a western suburb of the French capital of Paris.
According to prosecutors, the suspect targeted at least four people wearing kippahs shortly before Shabbat. He chased one victim into a nearby cosmetics shop, where police arrested him without resistance. Authorities are investigating whether antisemitic motives drove the attack.
Neuilly-sur-Seine Mayor Jean-Christophe Fromantin condemned the incident. “We must remain alert and mobilize against the rise of antisemitism,” he stated.
A Growing Jewish Presence in Neuilly
Neuilly-sur-Seine has become a preferred destination for Jewish families leaving other parts of Paris. They moved there for greater security and respected schools. Both Jewish and non-Jewish institutions in the city attract families who seek an environment with less antisemitic bullying.
Friday’s attack, however, underscores that even “safer” areas are not immune to antisemitic threats.
Rising Antisemitism in France
Figures from the SPCJ (Service de Protection de la Communauté Juive), the Jewish community protection service, highlight the scale of the problem. France recorded 106 antisemitic assaults in 2024, the highest number in more than ten years.
In total, SPCJ documented 1,570 incidents last year. That figure is slightly lower than 1,676 in 2023 but still far above earlier norms. From 2012 to 2022, France averaged about 540 incidents each year.
The BNVCA (Bureau National de Vigilance Contre L’Antisémitisme), National Bureau of Vigilance Against Anti-Semitism, reports that most perpetrators come from Muslim-majority backgrounds. This pattern further illustrates the ongoing danger facing French Jews.
Holocaust Memorial Defaced in Lyon
Meanwhile, also this past weekend, vandals desecrated a Holocaust memorial in Lyon, etching the words “Free Gaza” into the monument’s black marble.
Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) Director of European Affairs Shannon Seban said, “Two years of exponentially rising antisemitic attacks since Hamas’s atrocities on October 7th, and the barbarism is only increasing. The vandalism of a Holocaust memorial in Lyon shows that all lines have been crossed and the seeming distinction between anti-Israel sentiment and antisemitism have been blurred to the point of non-existence.”
“Words are not enough to ensure that French Jews feel safe in their own country,” she added. “The French government needs to prioritize education alongside law-enforcement and fighting radicalization alongside safeguarding Jews and Jewish sites.”
📍🇫🇷 Lyon · August 31, 2025
The words “Free Gaza” were carved into the plaque of Les Rails de la mémoire, a Holocaust memorial inaugurated this year in Lyon.
From this city, 6,100 Jews were deported to Auschwitz.
Today their memory was profaned. pic.twitter.com/sbL57OUxMK— Combat Antisemitism Movement (@CombatASemitism) August 31, 2025
CRIF President Yonathan Arfi also strongly condemned the attack. “To defile the memory of Holocaust victims is to attempt to Nazify the Jews, but it is also to attack the fundamental values of the Republic,” he wrote on X.
A Pattern of Escalation
The knife attack in Neuilly and the vandalism in Lyon highlight a troubling trend. Jewish life in France remains vibrant, yet threats are constant.
These incidents, however, show the urgent need for vigilance, stronger law enforcement, and political resolve to counter antisemitism.
Take Action
CAM has launched Report It — a secure app to report antisemitic incidents anonymously and in real time. Don’t stay silent — download it today on the Apple Store or Google Play. See it. Report it. Stop it. Together, we can fight this hate.
