FRANCE: Young Jewish man is in a coma after a violent attack. French police qualified the attack as anti-semitic

Record ID: 353387

  • Title: FRANCE: Young Jewish man is in a coma after a violent attack. French police qualified the attack as anti-semitic
  • Date: 24th June 2008
  • Summary: (EU) PARIS, FRANCE (JUNE 23, 2008) (REUTERS) VARIOUS EXTERIOR OF COCHIN HOSPITAL JOURNALISTS INTERVIEWING SAMMY GHOZLAN, HEAD OF THE ANTI-SEMITIC VIGILANCE OFFICE (SOUNDBITE) (French) SAMMY GHOZLAN, HEAD OF THE ANTI-SEMITIC VIGILANCE OFFICE, SAYING: "He is asleep, however he is in a much better state, he has a deep wound on his forehead above his right eye, his mother is w
  • Embargoed: 9th July 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: France
  • Country: France
  • Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement
  • Reuters ID: LVAEIP6FNHMOMH965EWZ0WDX6O5U
  • Story Text: A 17-year-old French Jew was attacked on Saturday (June 21) night in Paris, an assault condemned by President Nicolas Sarkozy and said by Jewish organisations to be an act of anti-Semitism.
    The victim suffered several broken ribs and a fractured skull and was in intensive care at a hospital in central Paris and remained in a coma.
    "He is asleep, however he is in a much better state, he has a deep wound on his forehead above his right eye, his mother is with him and we hope that he will be able to wake up, and we hope there won't have any after effects." said Sammy Ghozlan, head of the Anti-Semitic Vigilance Office on Monday (June 23).
    The young man, identified as Rudy Haddad by one Jewish organisation, was attacked by youths of African origin, a police source said, and the National Agency of Vigilance Against anti-Semitism said he had been attacked with iron bars.
    Such skirmishes were a regular feature in the multi-confessional Buttes Chaumont neighbourhood in the 19th arrondissement of Paris.
    "There have been many attacks lately. They are anti-semitic attacks because they were wearing their kippa. We ask them not to provoke then, to wear a cap, to keep a low profile, so as not to prompt any anti-semitic attack, to avoid this increasing hatred." said one local resident.
    Police said five youths had been held for questioning.
    The Union of French Jewish Students said Haddad had been identified as Jewish because he was wearing a kippa (skullcap), and had suffered several broken ribs and a fractured skull and was in intensive care at a hospital in central Paris.
    The number of attackers was not known, varying from 6 or 7 to 30, depending on sources. Haddad's father told French radio RTL there were around 15 attackers.
    Two police sources said the attack took place right after a skirmish between two groups of youths, one Jewish and the other of North African origin. They said it was unclear whether Haddad had taken part in the confrontation.
    Anti-semitic attacks are on the rise according to, Haim Musicant, Director of the Representative Council of the French Jewish Institutions: "What we keep seeing unfortunately are violent acts by under age youths against other youths, and that's new. Violent acts are more and more the action of young people. But we also see old anti-semitic insults, such as 'the Jews and money', or 'the Jews and power', the old anti-semitic stereotypes which we thought belonged to the last century and which are coming back."
    The assault was immediately condemned by Sarkozy, who began a three-day visit to Israel on Sunday (June 22) aimed at reinforcing his image as an ally of the Jewish state.
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