Elderly French Jewish Man Attacked in His Paris Apartment

A 70-year-old Jewish man was attacked and robbed in his Paris apartment by two antisemitic assailants.

The National Bureau for Vigilance Against Antisemitism (BNVCA), a Paris-based organisation representing victims of antisemitic hate crimes in France released a statement about the December 1 incident on Tuesday, December 7.
According to the victim, two hooded assailants, of Arab and one of African origin, armed with a handgun banged on his door and then forced their way in. They hit him hard and pointed the gun to his temple, asking “Are you a jeweller and a Jew?” He replied he is not a jeweller, but indeed a Jew. The assailants pushed him in a chair, asking for “gold”, and threatened to shoot him if he moved. One of the perpetrators hit the victim’s head with the gun, leaving a bloody bruise. They left the apartment with a sum of 250 Euros, leaving the victim tied to a chair. He managed to call his wife and was taken to a hospital, where he received immediate treatment.

The BNVCA urges the local police to identify the perpetrators and bring them to justice. A formal investigation has been opened, with charges of kidnapping and aggravated theft. The spokesperson of the prosecutor’s office claimed that the antisemitic nature of the attack will also be investigated.

In recent years, there have been several antisemitic attacks on elderly Jewish people in France. According to the BNVCA, they have observed that “Jews are increasingly being attacked in their own homes”, adding that many Jews living in Paris wants to leave their home due to increasing antisemitic violence.