Holocaust Memorial Defaced in Lyon
Meanwhile, also this past weekend, vandals desecrated a Holocaust memorial in Lyon, etching the words “Free Gaza” into the monument’s black marble.
Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) Director of European Affairs Shannon Seban said, “Two years of exponentially rising antisemitic attacks since Hamas’s atrocities on October 7th, and the barbarism is only increasing. The vandalism of a Holocaust memorial in Lyon shows that all lines have been crossed and the seeming distinction between anti-Israel sentiment and antisemitism have been blurred to the point of non-existence.”
“Words are not enough to ensure that French Jews feel safe in their own country,” she added. “The French government needs to prioritize education alongside law-enforcement and fighting radicalization alongside safeguarding Jews and Jewish sites.”
Rising Antisemitism in France
Figures from the SPCJ (Service de Protection de la Communauté Juive), the Jewish community protection service, highlight the scale of the problem. France recorded 106 antisemitic assaults in 2024, the highest number in more than ten years.
In total, SPCJ documented 1,570 incidents last year. That figure is slightly lower than 1,676 in 2023 but still far above earlier norms. From 2012 to 2022, France averaged about 540 incidents each year.
The BNVCA (Bureau National de Vigilance Contre L’Antisémitisme), National Bureau of Vigilance Against Anti-Semitism, reports that most perpetrators come from Muslim-majority backgrounds. This pattern further illustrates the ongoing danger facing French Jews.
