Paris, February 16 – The monument at the heart of the Place de la République in Paris was marred by anti-Semitic graffiti, including swastikas and hateful slogans, on Monday, February 16. The incident has prompted an official investigation by the Paris public prosecutor’s office.
Vandalism Uncovered on Iconic Monument
The monument to the Republic, a work by Léopold Morice, was found defaced with two swastikas and various anti-Semitic messages. Calls for violence were also reportedly scrawled on the statue. Among the inscriptions was the phrase “Kill the Rothschilds” in green letters, found on the edge of the emblematic monument. An existing black and white poster commemorating Ilan Halimi, a young Jewish man abducted and tortured to death in January 2006, was also present.
Municipal police were on site by midday, documenting the damage, which was initially reported by Le Parisien newspaper. The Paris public prosecutor’s office has confirmed the opening of an investigation, entrusted to the central police station. The charges include “degradation of a classified property, aggravated degradation due to mention of ethnicity, race or religion, materialized death threats, and death threats aggravated by the circumstance of mention of ethnicity, race or religion.”
Context of Rising Anti-Semitic Acts in France
This incident occurs amidst a concerning trend of anti-Semitic acts in France. While the number of such acts decreased by 16% to 1,320 in 2025, they have “never been as high as during the last three years,” and account for 53% of all anti-religious acts, according to the latest figures released by the Ministry of Interior. The significant increase in recent years follows the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which ignited the conflict in Gaza.
Notably, other graffiti found on the République statue included messages denouncing pedophiles and also referenced former Arab World Institute president Jack Lang, whose name has been mentioned in connection with the Epstein affair.
Political Condemnation and Calls for Unity
Rachida Dati, a candidate for mayor of Paris, immediately condemned the acts on X, stating, “I unreservedly condemn these anti-Semitic tags.” She further urged for national unity in the face of rising tensions: “Faced with the exacerbation of tensions in our country, sometimes even fueled by external agents, I call on the French and Parisians to remain united to defend their values, not to give in to violence,” added the future former Minister of Culture.
The Place de la République is a significant location for demonstrations in Paris and has frequently been a target of vandalism. This latest incident highlights ongoing concerns about social cohesion and the rise of hate speech in the capital.
