Since last February, several syringe attacks have been reported in nightclubs, concerts and music festivals in various parts of France.
Justin Astrouk was recently attacked by a stranger with a syringe. The 24-year-old student, from the city of Rennes in western France, told the Xinhua news agency that he was pierced with a syringe while attending a concert on May 21. He was standing near the scene when an unknown substance was injected into his thigh.
“Everything went well at the concert. Two days later, while taking a shower, I realized I had a strange scar on my thigh. I had seen some photos on social media and immediately realized that there was a problem. “I compared the sign with the images and saw a resemblance,” he recalls. Astruk states that, to his surprise, he did not feel anything during the concert.
Since last February, several syringe attacks have been reported in nightclubs, concerts and music festivals in various parts of France. The French network BFM TV reported 319 such incidents in nightclubs alone. 275 victims of syringe attacks have lodged complaints with the police.
The cases are shared between men and women, while the injections were made in different parts of the body.
“The syringe attacks first started in Britain last September and then made their appearance in France,” said Leila Sawasi, a pharmacist in Paris. “We know very little about this phenomenon: what kind of syringes are used, if specific substances are injected and what they are,” he adds.
Questions are also raised about the motives of the perpetrators, as most of the victims did not report subsequent attacks.
Sawasi points out that the perpetrators are very difficult to locate because the attacks take place in crowded places.
Occasionally there are people carrying syringes to concerts and nightclubs, but a common excuse is that they are for personal use, according to French media.
“A syringe can be considered a weapon and such an attack can be considered premeditated,” said lawyer Marin Dourion. He emphasizes that the perpetrators face up to three years in prison and a fine of 45,000 euros, provided they have not injected harmful substances. Otherwise, the prison sentence can reach 5-7 years and the fine can reach 75,000 euros. Punishment for relapses is even harsher.
“There is also the emotional shock for the victim, which must be taken into account,” Dourion explains.
