A Jewish primary school in Paris was vandalised overnight, with several windows smashed and a religious plaque torn from the building, prompting an investigation into criminal damage aggravated by religious motivation.
The incident occurred on the evening of 31 January at the Beth Loubavitch – Beth’Hannah Jewish primary school, located in the city’s 20th arrondissement. According to a police source cited by Le Figaro, several individuals targeted the school’s façade late in the evening. The information was later confirmed by the Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office.
At around 9 p.m., the perpetrators broke three windows and forcibly removed a security camera from the exterior of the building. Police officers subsequently discovered a plaque belonging to the school in a nearby public square. According to a police source, the plaque clearly identified the building as a Jewish educational institution.
Investigators believe the individuals involved were not attempting to burglarise the school, as they did not enter the premises. As a result, the Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office has opened an investigation into aggravated criminal damage, citing two aggravating circumstances: the offence was committed by a group, and it was motivated by religion.
The investigation has been entrusted to the local reception and investigation service (SAIP) of the 20th arrondissement, which is working to identify those responsible. The school has not yet commented on the incident.
According to figures from France’s Ministry of the Interior, 1,570 antisemitic incidents were recorded nationwide in 2024. In the first eight months of 2025, authorities registered 889 incidents, underlining the continued prevalence of antisemitic acts across the country.
