Watch: Chaos erupts at music festival in Paris after mysterious syringe attacks; over 100 injured

Twelve people accused of stabbing people with syringes during a nationwide music festival in France were arrested Sunday, said the interior ministry.

The accused pricked around 145 people around the country, out of which 13 cases were reported in the capital city, Paris. The accused used syringes to inject victims mainly in the arm, leg, or buttocks.

The ministry has said it is not yet certain whether the syringes contained date rape drugs that can cause unconsciousness, such as Rohypnol or GHB.

😱🤯“Fête de la Terreur”: Syringe Attacks and Riots Shake Paris

Chaos erupted during France’s annual Fête de la Musique celebration:

🚩145 teenage girls were attacked with syringes
🚩Hundreds injured overall — 14 seriously
🚩371 people arrested
🚩51 vehicles set on fire

The… pic.twitter.com/qiHjT6VaLO

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) June 24, 2025

A spokesperson from the ministry told CNN on Monday that they were studying the harmful effects of chemical, biological, and physical agents on living organisms.

Large crowds gathered across France over the weekend to celebrate Fête de la Musique. The Paris police chief told CNN that there were three to four times as many people in Paris as usual.

After the festival, some influencers warned about social media posts encouraging syringe attacks targeting women. The Paris police chief responded by calling such posts “completely idiotic.”

Prosecutors said they reopened investigations after three individuals, including a 15-year-old girl and an 18-year-old boy, reported being pricked and feeling unwell, though they were in different parts of the country.

France's interior ministry said police arrested 371 people across France on Saturday night for various incidents, with nearly 90 of those arrests made in Paris.