A 16-year-old is stabbed to death at a festival after a crowd armed with knives was prevented from entering. Eyewitnesses speak of “carnage” and several people were injured. Although authorities say little about the motive, right-wing parties have already identified the culprits.
The fact that the festival could grow to such an extent still shocks residents of the small town of Crépol, in southeastern France. All of France wonders how it happened that one person died, how it was possible that ten attackers with knives could or wanted to attack the peaceful festival of all things. The cruel result: a 16-year-old was fatally injured with a sharp weapon – he died on the way to hospital. Two other people suffered serious injuries, the gendarmerie said at the weekend. A total of 18 people were treated by rescuers during the incident that night. Around 400 people were present at the celebrations.
It was late Saturday night when the attackers arrived. They were denied entry to the hall, after all they had already registered in advance. The men were not on the list and were therefore not allowed into the hall by security personnel. Prosecutors are now investigating why the situation finally escalated to such a point.
First, around ten men attacked the security guard, pulled out knives and threw stones. Witnesses describe the following minutes as “carnage”, as the French media write. The AFP news agency reports that the DJ had just announced the end of the celebration, so people gathered at the exit and witnessed the outbreak of violence. Prosecutor Laurent de Caigny classified the attack as a “planned excursion” by the attackers. A member of the organizing committee reportedly told AFP: “They came with the aim of killing.”
There is speculation about the reason, right-wing parties are addressing the issue
What is still unclear is why. Seven suspects were arrested near Toulouse and two others 20 kilometers from Crépol, Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said on Tuesday. After several days of silence on the matter, he was criticized and later spoke of “despicable acts”.
Theories and rumors about the attackers are being spread on social media: for example, that they come from the notorious La Monnaie neighborhood in Romans-sur-Isère. However, few facts were disclosed by the authorities – however, the suspects were not all from the same neighborhood or city. The man who stabbed the 16-year-old lived in the center of Romans-sur-Isère.
Politically, the cruel incident is being taken over by right-wing parties. Marion Maréchal, granddaughter of Front National founder Jean-Marie Le Pen, speaks of “racism against white people”. However, an alleged quote from one of the attackers that they intended to “kill white people” was not confirmed by the Public Prosecutor’s Office. Maréchal is the main candidate of the right-wing extremist Reconquête party. Her aunt Marine Le Pen, head of the Rassemblement National, also discusses the “savageness” of France. (ed.)