A 25-year-old man from Béziers has been sentenced to one year in prison, including eight months custodial, for directing antisemitic insults at a Jewish family and a rabbi.
The incident occurred in July 2025 when a 66-year-old man attended the synagogue with his wife, daughter, grandchildren, a friend, and the rabbi scheduled to lead the service. The group was confronted by a man in a vehicle who shouted antisemitic insults at them. The victims were able to record the vehicle’s registration number before it drove off.
The suspect, who previously had a clean criminal record, was taken into police custody, during which he admitted to part of the statements attributed to him. He appeared in court free on 25 November, 2025.
The criminal court of Béziers imposed a sentence of one year’s imprisonment, including four months suspended under probation. The court also prohibited the offender from contacting the victims or approaching Jewish places of worship for two years. Additionally, he is required to compensate the victims.
This case comes amid a significant rise in antisemitic incidents in France. Following the Hamas attack on 7 October 2023 and the subsequent military operations in Gaza, tensions in French communities have increased.
According to the Ministry of the Interior, France recorded 504 antisemitic incidents between January and May 2025, representing a 134% increase compared with the same period in 2023. Anti-Muslim acts also rose sharply, with 145 incidents reported during the same period, a 75% increase from 2024.
Prosecutor Arnaud Faugère emphasised the importance of holding offenders accountable to prevent further escalation of hate crimes and protect the safety of Jewish communities.
