Video/ More than 240 arrested and dozens injured in unrest at the Music Festival in France

Sunday evening and the early hours of Monday were marked by intense scenes of chaos across France during the Fête de la Musique, the annual festival that brings millions of people into the streets and public squares every year.

Although the presence of law enforcement on the ground had been increased, French authorities carried out more than 240 arrests nationwide. Numerous serious incidents were reported during the event, including knife attacks, suspected rapes, sexual assaults, robberies, and syringe attacks.

Paris became the main center of developments, with more than two million people taking part. Witnesses said that in some areas dangerous situations arose because of overcrowding, while groups of young people caused disturbances and attacked citizens.

In some parts of the capital, including Saint-Germain-des-Prés, police used tear gas to disperse the crowds. Acts of vandalism, theft, and extensive damage to public and private property were also recorded.

One of the most serious concerns was also the syringe attacks. More than a dozen cases have been reported, mainly involving women, in which the use of unknown substances is suspected. In one episode in Paris, a person was briefly detained after being seen with syringes, but later managed to escape.

Suspected cases of sexual violence were also reported in Paris. According to the French Interior Ministry, a young woman said she was first attacked with a syringe and then raped in a private residence during the evening hours.

In the outskirts of the capital, a 48-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl. Meanwhile, in another case in Nogent-sur-Marne, a 15-year-old girl reported rape after attending a festival concert.

Among the most serious incidents was the stabbing of a 40-year-old man and a 40-year-old woman in the early hours of Monday morning. The man was stabbed in the city of Toulouse shortly before midnight, while the woman was attacked later in Colomiers. According to authorities, both are in hospital in stable condition.

Investigators are reviewing security camera footage to identify the perpetrators of these attacks, while the case is being treated as part of a broader wave of violent incidents that accompanied the festival.

To curb the worsening situation, French authorities had deployed around 5,000 police officers and gendarmes, particularly against the backdrop of previous violent episodes in the country.

However, the security measures were not enough. High temperatures, the consumption of alcohol and drugs in public spaces, as well as the large number of participants, contributed to the escalation of the incidents, bringing the festival to a close with a heavy toll of violence and chaos.