Over 140 people were allegedly pricked with syringes at a French music festival over the weekend. A handful of suspects have since been arrested in connection to the incident.
According to ABC News, 145 individuals reported being “pricked” during France’s “Festival of Music” on June 21. The event spans across different towns and cities throughout the country, and people reported being pricked in several different locations including Paris, Metz and Normandy.
Most of the victims didn’t have a chance to see who had attacked them, but reported feeling a prick in their arms or back and eventually experienced feelings of dizziness, loss of consciousness and hot flashes.
Some also reported marks and bruises on their bodies.
Victims were treated either by medics at the festival or were taken to the hospital, where they provided saliva, blood and urine samples to test for substances. At this time, there have not been any confirmed traces of substances in any of the samples.
The French police currently have 14 suspects in custody that they believe may have connections to the attacks.
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The rock and metal festival Hellfest also took place in the French town of Clisson over the weekend, but the reports did not specify whether any of the attacks happened there.
A French Influencer Warned of Possible Syringe Attacks Ahead of the Festival
Prior to the festival, a French influencer named Abrège Soeur shared a warning on TikTok that there had been posts made on social media about targeting women with syringes, according to NBC News. However, it’s unclear where the posts were shared or by whom.
“Men plan to attack and stab women at the Fête de la Musique on June 21st,” the TikTok stated [translated via Google Translate].
She proposed a code word for individuals to use if they felt they were in danger or noticed someone else was — the fashion brand H&M.
“Approach the person and ask, ‘Where’s your top from?’ If they answer ‘H&M,’ it means they need help… If you are in danger, hail someone over and ask, ‘Where’s your top from? H&M, right?’,” she elaborated.
There Were Warnings About Syringe Attacks in France Back in 2022
The Guardian notes that this isn’t the first time people have been attacked with syringes in France. Back in 2022, there was a series of reports about alleged syringe attacks in a variety of public establishments, prompting the French government to issue a warning for people to stay vigilant when going out at night.
Some of the complaints were from women who attended the Fête de la Musique that year.
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