Nearly 150 people have reported being stabbed with syringes at a popular music festival taking place across France.
Police have arrested twelve suspects after revellers said they were pricked with syringes, including 13 victims in Paris, during the country’s annual Fête de la Musique festival.
The festival drew crowds all over the country, with millions taking to the streets to celebrate the start of summer, resulted in densely-packed streets in Paris.
France’s interior ministry said 145 victims reported being stabbed with needles.
In Paris, police began investigating after a 15-year-old girl and an 18-year-old man said they had been stabbed in separate incidents across the capital.
The exact contents of the syringes remains unknown, however some victims reported feeling unwell.
“Some victims were taken to hospital for toxicological tests,” the ministry said.
Ahead of the festival, posts shared on Snapchat and other social media called for people to target women, local media reported.
The first attack was reported around 9.15pm local time in the city of Metz, north-eastern France, mayor François Grosdidie said.
Grosdidie said around 15 young girls aged between 14 to 20 were victims in Metz.
“The risks are always present in unbridled environments and, over the hours, intoxicated. But we’ve faced syringe aggression,” Grosdidie said in a translated post on Instagram.
Twelve people suspected of being responsible for the stabbings have been taken into custody.
More than 370 people were also detained during the festival on other charges.
