Latest antisemitic attack in France see four Jewish teenagers assaulted

Youths beaten up in incident which took place in Nice, reportedly triggered by one of the victims wearing a Star of David chain

French police have arrested four men they said assaulted four Jewish youths in an antisemitic assault in Nice, which was triggered by one of the victims’ wearing a Star of David pendant.

The incident in the southern French city occurred in the center at about 2 a.m. on Saturday morning, according to a report by the France3 television station. The four suspects and a fifth teenager, who was not immediately apprehended, assaulted the alleged victims, beating them and causing minor injuries. At least one of the perpetrators also stole a golden chain from one of the victim, the municipality said.

Mayor Christian Estrosi, who has vowed a zero tolerance policy on racist violence and radical Islam activities in his city, said he found it the incident “unacceptable” in a statement from his office titled “antisemitic assault in the center of Nice.” Police officers under command canvased the city in search of the perpetrators, resulting in the suspects’ arrest within a few hours of the incident.

“I cannot permit the rise of antisemitism in our city, or in our country,” added Estrosi in a statement whose length and tone is unusual for an incident with no serious injuries. “The cowardice and violence of these attacks must not be trivialised and go unpunished,” he added.