France arrests three people over attacks on Jewish sites in Paris

By Euronews with Agences

Published on 03/06/2025 – 12:03 GMT+2•Updated
12:05

Three Serbian nationals have been arrested in France in connection with the vandalism of Jewish sites in Paris over the weekend, according to local media, with the incident drawing parallels with previous similar cases where Russian involvement was suspected.

Three synagogues, a Jewish restaurant and a Holocaust memorial were sprayed with green paint on Saturday in the city’s historic Marais district and 20th arrondissement.

Authorities in Paris immediately launched an investigation into “damage committed on religious grounds”. On Monday, the Serbian nationals were reportedly arrested in the southeastern region of Alpes-Maritimes as they were preparing to leave France.

The vandalism bears similarities to two other apparent antisemitic attacks on Jewish sites in Paris in recent years, with authorities stating that there was reason to believe Russian intelligence services were involved in a bid to stir tensions in the French society.

A source close to the investigation told AFP that French authorities believed the latest incident was a destabilisation operation from a foreign actor, “given the similarities with the modus operandi used for the ‘red hands’ graffiti”.

In May 2024, red hands were painted at the Parisian memorial for those who saved people from the city’s Jewish community from Nazi persecution during the 1940-1944 occupation of France.

Three Bulgarian nationals were identified by French authorities as being behind the tags.

In October 2023, dozens of Stars of David were graffitied on walls in Paris and its outskirts. In that case, two Moldovan nationals were apprehended, according to domestic press. French security services said a Moldovan-Russian businessman was identified as their potential handler.

In the 2023 case, media including AFP and Le Monde cited French intelligence sources saying that that the vandalism had been “commissioned by Russian security services”. Moscow denied any involvement and described the reports as “stupid” and “outrageous”.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has criticised his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron over the latest vandalism, saying he must do more to clamp down on antisemitism in France.

The country has a large Jewish population, which has made it a frequent flashpoint for rising antisemitism. In recent years, reports of antisemitic incidents have surged in France, with a sharp rise reported in 2023 after the 7 October Hamas attacks in Israel.