A synagogue in Paris and several Jewish-owned businesses across multiple French cities were targeted and damaged during widespread riots on Saturday, amid ongoing national unrest. The incidents have prompted calls from Jewish leaders for the French government to declare a state of emergency.
The synagogue, located in the 19th arrondissement of Paris, was vandalised and ransacked, with footage showing scattered furniture, prayer books, and other items strewn inside the temple. A representative from the synagogue said the motive behind the attack was unclear but suggested it was likely fueled by antisemitic intent.
In addition to the synagogue, Jewish-owned shops suffered looting and vandalism during the rioting. Ariel Goldmann of the Unified Jewish Social Fund (SPCJ) confirmed that some of the businesses affected belonged to Jewish owners. However, Goldmann also stated that there was no conclusive evidence that Jewish stores were specifically targeted amid the chaos. The SPCJ is collaborating with local authorities to better understand the motives behind the attacks.
French journalist Paul Amar, who criticised some protesters for carrying Palestinian flags during the unrest, asserted that Jewish-owned shops were deliberately targeted while Muslim-owned stores appeared to be spared. This perspective, however, remains contested pending further investigation.
The riots come amid heightened tensions from widespread student protests and other social unrest. Bruno Benjamin, president of the Marseilles-Provence branch of CRIF, the umbrella organisation representing French Jewish institutions, urged President Emmanuel Macron to take decisive action by declaring a state of emergency. Benjamin accused far-left groups of inciting the protests and described local police as overwhelmed by the scale of the violence.
Meanwhile, Meyer Habib, a former French-Jewish politician, echoed the call for stronger government measures, emphasising the need to protect law-abiding citizens. Habib highlighted the scale of the unrest in Paris, noting that looting extended beyond Jewish businesses to include major retail outlets such as Christian Dior and Apple stores, as well as grocery shops, sometimes involving entire families.
As the situation develops, Jewish communities and French authorities are closely monitoring the violence and its implications for public safety in the country.