A teenager has been arrested and is under investigation for assault after kicking a rabbi in the back in the Paris Metro, a prosecutor has said, against broader concerns over a recent surge in antisemitism in France.
According to Reuters, the prosecutor at the Bobigny Tribunal said the possibility of an antisemitic motive aggravated the potential charges.
The incident happened around midday on Wednesday and the victim was wearing a black suit and hat, attire often worn by Jewish rabbis, the prosecutor said.
There have been 1,159 antisemitic acts in France since the Oct 7 attack on Israel, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said on Wednesday, nearly three times the number in all of 2022.
Some members of the Jewish community in France have said they feel afraid to leave the house wearing visible religious emblems such as the kippah, or skullcap worn by some Jewish men, and consider which synagogue to attend as some have tighter security protocols.
