Wave of syringe attacks mar France's street music festival

FRANCE 24 English

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00:01On one of France's most joyful nights, a wave of syringe attacks has cast a dark shadow over the country's beloved music celebration.

00:09The majority of the victims were women, including this young reveler from Bordeaux.

00:14Help me understand what's going on in these people's heads. Would they like their aunt, their sister, their mother to get spiked?

00:21She later filmed herself in hospital where she sought treatment and says she wasn't the only one.

00:26Just before me, there was another girl who also got jabbed.

00:32Across France, the Interior Ministry said 145 victims had reported being stabbed with needles, but it's believed that number could be higher.

00:41Some were treated at the scene by the fire department, others took themselves to hospital.

00:45Toxicology tests have been carried out to determine whether any substances had been injected.

00:50Police have arrested 12 people nationwide. Their ages range from 19 to 44 years old.

00:56Half of them are French nationals and were already known by police.

01:02This year's festivities were much larger than in previous years.

01:06In particular, this was optimised by people online encouraging the pricking of women during the Fête de la Musique.

01:11This is a major health risk, especially if these syringes have been passed from hand to hand.

01:22Four of the suspects from the south-western city of Angoulême are believed to have targeted around 50 people alone.

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