France: Over 140 Stabbing Reports with Needles at Music Festivals, Including Minors – 12 Suspects Arrested

French police have arrested 12 suspects following reports from 145 individuals who claimed they were stabbed with needles during the annual nationwide music festival, Fête de la Musique. Millions of people took to the streets across France on Saturday night (June 21, 2025) for the festival, with authorities reporting record-breaking crowds in Paris. The Ministry of the Interior stated that 145 victims across the country reported attacks involving needles during outdoor music events. In Paris alone, police documented 13 cases. Authorities did not confirm whether these incidents involved needle injections with date-rape drugs like Rohypnol or GHB, which attackers use to confuse or incapacitate victims for sexual assaults. Investigations began in Paris after three individuals, including a 15-year-old girl and an 18-year-old boy, reported being stabbed by needles in separate incidents. Nationwide, 12 suspects have been arrested, including four individuals in Angoulême suspected of targeting approximately 50 victims. One suspect, a 20-year-old man, had a prior record of violence. Two men were also arrested in Metz for alleged needle attacks. Regional broadcaster France 3 reported one arrest involved a suspect carrying a needle, while the victim identified another individual. Local prosecutors confirmed several minors were among the victims. Similar incidents were reported in Évreux and Rouen, where several young women claimed they were stabbed with needles. A woman was hospitalized in Evreux after being stabbed in her left hand. In Tours, 13 women reported being stabbed by needles at a music event. This issue echoes similar reports in 2022, prompting government warnings urging people to be cautious and seek immediate medical attention if they believe they’ve been drugged via needle attacks.