More than 240 people were arrested across France during the country’s largest open-air music festival, the annual Fête de la Musique — a nationwide street celebration held on June 21. According to a Daily Mail report, a 40-year-old man and a woman of the same age were stabbed in separate attacks in the early hours of Monday, June 22, in Toulouse and its neighboring suburb of Colomiers. Both were hospitalized with stable conditions.
Widespread Violence Across Major Cities
Chaos erupted across multiple cities, particularly in Paris, where violent incidents included stabbings, sexual assaults, robberies, and vandalism. In the capital’s Saint-Germain-des-Prés district, groups of young men — some wearing Paris Saint-Germain football jerseys — assaulted passersby, shattering car windows and attempting to break into shops. Witnesses described scenes of panic, with crowds screaming and fleeing amid fears of mass stampedes.
Syringe Attacks and Sexual Assaults
Authorities confirmed over 10 reported cases of women being injected with unknown substances using syringes — a disturbing trend that prompted urgent investigations. One man was detained in Paris for carrying syringes concealed in his clothing. In the city’s 9th arrondissement, a young woman was allegedly bitten and then raped inside a private residence around 9:30 p.m. In the northern Paris suburb of Gagny, a 48-year-old man was arrested for sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl. Another 15-year-old reported being raped in Nogent-sur-Marne after attending a concert.
French Interior Ministry officials reported approximately 148 arrests in Paris alone and 243 nationwide. Over two million people attended events in the capital, where disturbances began shortly after 11 p.m. near the Châtelet district — close to Notre-Dame Cathedral. Police deployed tear gas in Saint-Germain-des-Prés to disperse violent crowds.
Investigators are reviewing surveillance footage from festival sites to identify suspects involved in knife attacks. The Fête de la Musique, traditionally a joyful, inclusive celebration of music and culture, ended this year under a cloud of alarm — raising urgent questions about public safety at large-scale urban events.