(This article contains graphic descriptions of violence and sexual abuse.)
A Jewish man claimed that two young men attempted to rape him in Paris, France after learning of his religious and sexual identity, Le Parisien first reported last week.
The Jewish man, given the identity of ‘Noam’ by the French outlet, said that he was walking around Pantin on October 8, 2024, after finishing work when he was approached by two young Algerian men, 16 and 18, who asked him for a cigarette.
After handing the pair a cigarette, the accused allegedly pushed Noam, 22, aside and took his phone. After looking at Noam’s phone, the accused reportedly saw an Israeli flag and a rainbow symbol used by the LGBT community - identifying Noam as both LGBT and Jewish.
Noam claimed that after they discovered his identity, they began calling him a “dirty f*****” and a “dirty Jew.”
Noam told the source one of the 16-year-old pushed him against a vehicle and “pulled down my pants, then my underwear. He had an erection, he wanted to penetrate me.”
Noam said that the two men continued to throw insults in Arabic.
“I begged them to stop. I was waiting for it to end, I was afraid they were armed,” he said.
Noam reported that the incident ended before penetration as passers-by heard him.
"I was very lucky to have them," he said, describing how they subdued the alleged attackers until police arrived.
Awaiting trial
Noam was taken to hospital after the alleged attack and later filed a police complaint.
Both the accused parties reportedly denied attempting to rape Noam, instead claiming that he had approached them to seek out sexual relations. Their account was rejected by witnesses and, according to Le Parisien, did not match up with security footage.
Both suspects were reportedly previously known to police, having previously appeared before the courts for theft.
The judicial investigation was opened for "attempted rape and theft on the grounds of sexual and religious orientation" and both alleged attackers were placed on pre-trial.
“I want justice to be done. I want there to be more security," Noam told the paper. He is now being accompanied everywhere by a close friend and opened up to the French site on how the events of October 8 continue to affect him.
"This rape, because it is rape, it is part of my life," he said. "It is like a nightmare coming back."
Oudy Bloch, Noam’s representative, explained that, as there was no penetration during the incident, it is legally classified as attempted rape.
"I was the perfect target because I was gay, because I was Jewish," Noam asserted.
Noam now awaits his day in court but told the site that he doesn’t know if he plans to remain living in France.
Antisemitic sexual violence in France
This is not the first time that antisemitic sexual violence has been reported in France. In June, a 12-year-old Jewish girl was reportedly gang raped by three teenage attackers after they discovered she was Jewish.
Antisemitic remarks were found on one of the suspect’s phones, although another suspect claimed that he assaulted the 12-year-old after she made a negative comment about ‘Palestine.’
The 12-year-old later told French media that the teenagers had instructed her to convert to Islam.
The victim's mother said that one of her daughter's attackers told her, "I know you're not Muslim... So, what religion are you?"
The mother added that when the attacker learned that her daughter was Jewish, he deduced that she must be pro-Israel and anti-Palestinian.
Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.