Two men were taken into custody by French police on Tuesday after surrendering in an ongoing investigation into the death of Jeremy Cohen, a 31-year-old Jewish man, who was hit by a tram last month in Bobigny, France while fleeing a gang of attackers.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
The identities of the men were not immediately revealed, although previous reports suggested they were members of a large local Muslim immigrant community. According to French news outlets, the two are facing charges of manslaughter.
Law enforcement originally deemed Cohen's death an accident, but footage of the assault that emerged later suggests it might have been the result of an antisemitic attack.
The video shows a group of youngsters attacking Cohen, an observant Jew who wore a kippah. He reportedly did not notice the incoming tram when trying to escape the gang.
The footage was obtained by Cohen's brother, Rafael, who launched a private investigation into the matter. In the wake of the video, Jewish and right-wing media outlets in France accused the police and authorities of trying to downplay the affair. Evidence gathered by the Cohen family has prompted law enforcement to launch another investigation.
The matter has become a hot-button issue in the final stretch of the presidential race in France.
The Jewish presidential candidate Éric Zemmour, who has campaigned on the need to address violence by Arab and Muslim immigrants, tweeted, "Why is it that no media outlet, politician, or parliament member speak about the death of Jeremy Cohen?"
Marine le Pen, far-right presidential candidate and head of the National Rally party, tweeted, "What was presented as an accident could be an antisemitic murder."
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
