Women and girls rushed to hospital after 17 'stung' by syringe at festival

Daily Record

4 hours ago

17 females were "victims of syringe injections" at the music festival.
Around 17 young girls and women have been rushed to hospital after they were allegedly pricked by a man with a syringe while at an event in France.
It's thought more than 50,000 people were in attendance at the festival in Metz on Saturday evening as revellers celebrated World Music Day.
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According to Le Républicain Lorrain, during the Fête de la Musique 17 females were " victims of syringe injections".
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The local outlet says that the victims - believed to be aged between 14 and 20 - were targeted by one or more people at around 10pm. François Grosdidier, the mayor of Metz, confirmed that firefighters took the victims into care and they were rushed to hospital for tests.
The mayor added: "It's Saturday night and it's still hot… There are a lot of people, people everywhere, in all the city centre streets."
Mr Grosdidier estimated that there were around 50,000 people at the festival.
As reported by the Mirror, the alleged attacks happened between Place de la République and Place Saint-Jacques, two popular spots in Metz's city centre. One man has been arrested in connection with the attacks. He was taken to a local police station and questioned by cops.
No update has been provided on the girls' conditions. Police remained in Metz throughout the remainder of the event with pictures taken at the scene showing Mr Grosdidier speaking to officers.
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It comes after a French teaching assistant was allegedly stabbed to death by a pupil earlier this month. Named only as Melanie G, the single mum died on June 10 and had only started work as a teacher at the Françoise Dolto secondary school, in Nogent-sur-Marne, in the eastern Paris suburbs, last year.
The mum suffered multiple stab wounds to her body during a 'senseless' attack minutes before classes began. It is alleged the teaching assistant was searching children's bags for knives, in line with national education policy, when she was fatally attacked.
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A 14-year-old boy was arrested in connection with the killing and was later charged with "murder of a person in a position of authority". As a minor, the suspect faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison instead of life imprisonment.
In April, a knife attack at Notre-Dame-de-Toutes-Aides private school in the Doulon area of Nantes, France caused the death of one teenager and left three others injured.
The 15-year-old attacker was reportedly stopped attacking additional students by teachers, who bravely overpowered the armed boy.
French prime minister, François Bayrou, called for a crackdown on teenage knife crime following the attack. 'This tragedy shows once again the endemic violence that exists in a part of our youth,' Bayrou said in a statement. 'Fundamental questions must be asked in terms of education, values and respect for human life.'