A 12-year-old girl was a victim of an assault with antisemitic undertones over the past weekend, the French newspaper Le Parisien reported Tuesday. Three teens, aged 12, 13, and 14, were apprehended on Monday and are set to be presented before juvenile judges for potential indictment.
The young girl, accompanied by her parents, filed a complaint at the Courbevoie police station (Hauts-de-Seine). She alleged that she was sexually assaulted in an abandoned hangar where she was forcibly taken by the attackers after meeting them at a park. The suspects reportedly physically assaulted her and hurled insults related to her religious affiliation. Furthermore, the victim claimed to have endured vaginal penetration, which was corroborated by a gynecological examination.
‼️Horrific:
A 12-year old Jewish French girl was raped by three teenagers because she was Jewish. https://t.co/SLeNrYsrwZ
— Olia (@OliaOnX) June 18, 2024
While numerous questions surround the case, the victim's religion appears to be a significant factor that prompted the suspects' actions. Le Parisien reported that the girl's ex-boyfriend had reproached her for concealing her Jewish faith. Investigators discovered antisemitic remarks and images, including a burning Israeli flag, during their inquiry.
One of the suspects admitted to striking the young girl because she had made "objectionable remarks" about "Palestine." The Nanterre prosecutor's office confirmed to Le Parisien that "they must be presented to an investigating judge in the context of a judicial investigation opened particularly for the charges of aggravated rape, aggravated sexual assault, and threats of death, violence, and insults; the latter two offenses being aggravated by their commission due to the victim's religious affiliation."
