Rising Tide of Hatred: French Rabbi Attacked Twice in a Week

A French rabbi suffered two violent attacks in a single week, underscoring a broader rise in hate crimes occurring across France. Elie Lemmel, residing in the Paris suburb of Neuilly-sur-Seine, recounted how he was hit in the head with a chair while seated at a local cafe on Friday.

Lemmel, taken by surprise, initially wondered if objects had fallen before realizing the attack was deliberate, targeted due to his Jewish appearance, marked by his beard and kippah. 'It's such a shame,' he lamented, reflecting on how this incident followed another attack in Deauville, Normandy, where he was punched in the stomach a week earlier.

Authorities have launched an investigation into the attack, identifying it as violence aggravated by religious bias. The detained suspect, possessing German-language documents stating he was born in Rafah, underwent a psychiatric evaluation. The French Interior Minister called for collective action against rising anti-Semitic and anti-religious acts, following an 11% increase in such crimes last year.

(With inputs from agencies.)