Millions of people across France poured into the streets to celebrate the Fête de la Musique, a national music festival held every year on the summer solstice. In what should have been a night of joyful rhythms and shared cultural expression, an eerie sense of dread swept across the festivities.
Instead of ending in harmony, the night left behind a trail of trauma and confusion as at least 145 people reported being stabbed or pricked with syringes in various cities, including Paris, Rouen, Tours, Metz, and others. The French Interior Ministry confirmed the alarming figure, and investigations are now underway into this deeply disturbing series of incidents.
Authorities stated that Paris saw 13 such cases alone, while other regions also reported multiple incidents. Some victims were hospitalized for toxicological tests, raising fears that the needles may have been used to inject drugs—potentially date-rape substances like GHB or Rohypnol. While no concrete evidence of drug use has yet been confirmed, the recurrence of such attacks is reigniting national anxiety around an unresolved problem that first gained widespread attention in 2022.
An Unsettling Return of Needle Attacks
This wasn’t the first time France has been shaken by this creepy phenomenon. Reports of mysterious needle pricks in public spaces began to surface in 2022, particularly in nightclubs, bars, and festivals. At the time, hundreds of complaints poured in from cities like Nantes, Toulouse, and Grenoble.
Victims described sudden stinging sensations, followed by dizziness, nausea, or complete blackouts. Although toxicology tests often failed to detect drugs, the injuries—usually on the arms, back, or buttocks—were real, prompting official warnings and safety campaigns.
The situation seemed to die down after a few months, and many assumed it was a sinister trend that had passed. But this year’s Fête de la Musique proves otherwise. The new wave of attacks shows a startling escalation in scale and coordination. This isn’t just an isolated series of cases—it’s beginning to feel like a disturbing ritual associated with public events.
Police have detained 12 suspects so far. In Angoulême, four individuals were arrested in connection with attacks on approximately 50 people. In Metz, two men were arrested, one of whom was found carrying a syringe. Victims included minors; one was a 15-year-old girl, another an 18-year-old man. Their symptoms were consistent: a stabbing sensation, immediate discomfort, followed by illness.
Police in France have arrested 12 suspects after 145 people, mostly young women & girls, reported being “pricked” with syringes containing an unknown substance during the annual ‘Fete de la Musique’ Street Music Festival.
— Dominic Box | J6 Political Prisoner 🇺🇸 (@DomFreePress) June 23, 2025
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What’s chilling is that the attackers often go unseen. Victims don’t realize what happened until they feel the pain or see the needle mark. It’s as though the perpetrator disappears into the crowd immediately after delivering the attack. The anonymity and ease with which such acts are carried out in crowded public spaces only deepen the terror.
Warnings, Vigilance, and Social Media
Before the festival began, feminist influencer Abrège Soeur took to social media with a grim warning: there were calls circulating online targeting women for needle attacks at public events. While it’s unclear where those posts originated, her warning turned out to be disturbingly accurate. Several of the reported victims were young women, and in many cases, the syringes were allegedly used on minors.
Social media has played a double-edged role in these incidents. On one hand, it served as a tool for early warnings. On the other, it may have also provided a platform for coordination among the perpetrators. In the absence of clear motives or group affiliations, speculation has run wild. Are these attacks part of an underground challenge, a criminal operation, or a new method of harassment or assault?
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The Interior Ministry has urged anyone who suspects they have been drugged or attacked with a needle to immediately seek medical attention and report to the police. Authorities have been quick to act on many of the complaints, but with so many people and so few witnesses, progress has been slow.
Investigations are still in the early stages, and no conclusive links between the suspects and specific victims have yet been established. In Rouen and Évreux, several young women came forward with similar stories. One woman was taken to the hospital after experiencing severe pain in her left arm where she said a needle was inserted.
In Tours, 13 women complained to the fire brigade stationed at the event, each describing similar symptoms. These incidents were not restricted to one area, further emphasizing that this was not the work of a single individual acting alone but possibly several people engaging in copycat behavior.
Public Outrage and Safety Concerns Ahead of Summer Events
The resurgence of needle attacks has sparked widespread outrage and renewed fears about public safety, particularly as France gears up for a season of festivals and mass gatherings. With Paris preparing to host a range of summer music events and cultural celebrations, the atmosphere has turned anxious. The public is now questioning how such attacks could happen again, especially after previous warnings and safety protocols.
Law enforcement has also come under scrutiny. While the arrest of 12 suspects may signal a proactive response, many are asking whether enough preventive measures were put in place. Could more security checks or visible policing have deterred the attackers? How will the authorities ensure that such events remain safe going forward?
Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin acknowledged the seriousness of the attacks and urged police forces to remain vigilant at future events. Meanwhile, calls have intensified for organizers of large-scale gatherings to implement security procedures that can better prevent these attacks, such as increased surveillance and immediate medical stations for victims.
The psychological toll of these incidents is just as damaging as the physical harm. People now attend public events looking over their shoulders, worried not just about theft or violence but about invisible assaults that leave behind little evidence but plenty of fear. For women in particular, the sense of vulnerability has grown. Going out to enjoy music and community shouldn’t come with a hidden threat.
As toxicology results trickle in and more testimonies are gathered, authorities may gain a clearer picture of what, or who, is behind these creepy assaults. But for now, the mystery remains. Are these acts a twisted form of thrill-seeking? A coordinated attack? Or something even darker?
Until answers are found, France faces the chilling reality that no crowd, however festive or jubilant, is safe from invisible threats lurking within. The Fête de la Musique will likely be remembered this year not for the harmony it brought to the streets but for the invisible needles that turned celebration into alarm.
While the world looks on, France must confront the reemergence of an issue it thought had faded—and ask itself how it will protect its people from the creeping fear that now haunts its public spaces.