During France’s annual Fête de la Musique on June 21, chilling reports emerged across 145+ locations of alleged syringe spiking aimed at women. Panic spread rapidly on social media as terrified guests claimed they felt needle pricks—even though no actual drug injections or poisoning were confirmed imdb.comthetimes.co.uk+1lemonde.fr+1.
Authorities and health officials quickly intervened: they collected testimonies, inspected reported sites, and found no evidence of toxic injections. In many cases, symptoms were attributed to benign factors like mosquito bites or even touches with toothpicks . Yet microphones and cameras cranked up fear, as misogynistic prank videos allegedly circulated online, encouraging such behavior travelandtourworld.com+15thetimes.co.uk+15manilatimes.net+15.
Culture Minister Rachida Dati called the phenomenon unsettling, while Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin proposed legal action against those propagating this wave of online fear mongering thetimes.co.uk+1en.wikipedia.org+1. Critics argue the panic reflects a troubling trend: digital sensationalism enabling real-world harassment, especially targeting women in public spaces.
This incident underscores a wider struggle in modern France: balancing the celebration of public culture with ensuring safety in an age of viral content.
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Fête de la Musique panic, syringe prank France, misogyny live event, French music festival news, women safety France, needle scare festival, France public safety