Over the weekend, a synagogue was vandalized, and several Jewish businesses were looted in France during a new wave of riots, prompting Jewish leaders to urge the government to declare a state of emergency.
On Saturday, looters targeted multiple cities in France, including Paris, where footage from the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) showed damage to a synagogue in the 19th arrondissement.
Sacha Roytman, the CEO of CAM, remarked, “When chaos and violence take over the streets, synagogues are the first to suffer. The desecration of the synagogue in Paris is a clear warning sign: What begins against Jews never stops there.”
The recordings depicted the aftermath of the looting, with tables, chairs, and prayer books scattered around the synagogue’s interior.
A temple member expressed confusion about why the protesters would target the synagogue, suggesting that antisemitism played a role in their decision.
“It can’t be a coincidence that they chose to target a Jewish place of worship,” the congregant mentioned, implying that the looters assumed there would be money to steal because it was a Jewish property.
In Marseille, France’s second-largest city, renowned for having one of the largest Jewish populations in Europe, rioters vandalized numerous stores, stealing a wide array of items—from luxury goods to basic necessities, according to local sources.
Ariel Goldmann from the Unified Jewish Social Fund (SPCJ) confirmed that some of the affected shops were owned by Jewish individuals.
French journalist Paul Amar criticized certain rioters for displaying Palestinian flags and alleged that Jewish-owned businesses were targeted, while shops owned by Muslims were left alone.
However, Goldmann pointed out that there is no solid evidence supporting claims that Jewish-owned stores were singled out during the riots. The SPCJ is collaborating with local authorities to understand the underlying motives of the looting.
The rising unrest due to ongoing student protests has spurred Jewish leaders in the country to call for President Emmanuel Macron to declare a state of emergency.
Bruno Benjamin, president of the Marseille-Provence branch of the CRIF group, stated, “I believe we need to declare a state of emergency in France, send in the army, massively increase law enforcement personnel and arrest these rioters and vandals by every means.” He attributed the protests to the far-left in the country and argued that the local police are struggling to manage the situation.
“We are questioning whether they can ensure everyone’s safety,” he remarked.
In Paris, Meyer Habib, a former French-Jewish lawmaker, reiterated the demands for Macron to protect law-abiding citizens and take action against the protesters waving Palestinian flags.
“While French President Emmanuel is giving advice to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about security, the main square in Paris, the Christian Dior shops, the Apple shops, even grocery stores, are looted by whole families, mothers with their children,” he stated on Channel 14.
“I feel pain for France, my country, and call on my French brethren: Wake up before it’s too late,” Habib added.
