In Paris, a man was photographed wearing a jersey with the words 'Anti-Jewish' while riding the metro, prompting an investigation into the incident. The photo, captured on Monday evening on line 13 at the Saint-François-Xavier station, was widely circulated on social media by Sandrine Sebbane, the editorial director of Radio de la communauté juive (RCJ), and the 'Collectif des vigilants', an organization dedicated to combating anti-Semitism.
The Île-de-France region's president, Valérie Pécresse, responded to the incident, stating that 'anti-Semitism has no place in our country.' She confirmed that authorities are working with the RATP, Paris' transport authority, to identify the individual and initiate criminal proceedings. The RATP has also announced it will file a complaint, condemning the act of anti-Semitism and racism.
This incident is part of a worrying trend in France, where anti-Semitic acts have surged. Recent statistics indicate that there were 887 recorded anti-Semitic incidents in the first half of 2024, nearly tripling from 304 incidents during the same timeframe in 2023. The Paris prosecutor's office has opened an investigation for incitement to racial hatred, which carries a potential one-year prison sentence.
