Three Jews, including a rabbi, have been attacked on their way to synagogue in Marseille, France. A woman in her fifties was reportedly seriously injured after being stabbed twice in the stomach, although her injuries are said not to be life-threatening.
The attack took place yesterday morning at 07:30 as the rabbi and two congregants walked to their synagogue. They came under attack by a knife-wielding man who was reportedly shouting antisemitic abuse and heavily drunk. The woman was stabbed twice before one of the other congregants apparently rushed to defend her, suffering a knife wound himself.
The victims reportedly fled to another nearby synagogue where they were protected by the synagogue’s security team.
When local police arrived, the attacker, described as being of Moroccan or Algerian descent, continued to shout antisemitic abuse at the officers. The attacker was reportedly already known to the police as he is said to have a history of mental illness and violence.
The French National Bureau for Vigilance Against Antisemitism (BNVCA) has voiced concern that the antisemitic stabbing of Jews in Israel may encourage similar attacks against Jews outside Israel. The BNVCA repeated its warning in the wake of the attack.
