Vandalism Targets Jewish Sites in Paris, Prompting Official Condemnation

 Paris, France – May 31, 2025,  French authorities have launched an investigation after multiple Jewish sites in central Paris were vandalized overnight with green paint, including the city’s Holocaust memorial, two synagogues, and a nearby restaurant. Police confirmed the incidents on Saturday, which have sparked widespread condemnation from both national and local leaders.

“I am deeply disgusted by these heinous acts targeting the Jewish community,” said Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau in a statement posted to social media platform X.

As of Saturday morning, no arrests had been made in connection with the vandalism. Authorities are reviewing security footage and have pledged increased vigilance.

Retailleau, who earlier this week urged for more “visible and dissuasive” security at Jewish-linked locations, reiterated on Friday that surveillance was being heightened ahead of Shavuot, a major Jewish holiday.

France is home to the largest Jewish population in Western Europe. However, the community has increasingly found itself under threat amid a documented rise in antisemitic incidents, particularly since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war on October 7, 2023.

According to figures cited by the Interior Ministry, antisemitic acts now account for more than 60 percent of all reported anti-religious offenses in the country.

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo also condemned the acts, confirming that the city would be filing an official complaint.

“These are acts of intimidation that must be met with the strongest possible response,” Hidalgo said. “Antisemitism has no place in Paris or in the Republic.”

Officials have not commented on whether the incidents were coordinated, but investigations remain ongoing.