Two women were attacked at random on Tuesday morning near Gare du Nord in Paris, struck in the face without warning by a man described by a police source as “clearly homeless” and reported by Le Parisien as needing an Afghan interpreter for questioning.
The incidents, which occurred ten minutes apart in the 10th arrondissement, left one woman injured and both deeply shaken.
According to the French newspaper, the first assault took place around 8:35 a.m. on rue du Faubourg Saint-Martin. CCTV footage showed a woman walking down the street before being hit violently in the face, knocking her to the ground. She managed to take refuge in a nearby café, where the manager intervened and alerted the authorities. The victim sustained two bruises near her right eye and was transported to Lariboisière Hospital.
Moments later, the same man allegedly continued toward Gare du Nord and attacked a second woman on Rue de Dunkerque. The Paris prosecutor’s office said the first victim, while being assisted, witnessed “the same person strike another victim on the head.” The suspect was arrested minutes later.
He was taken into custody and was provided with an Afghan interpreter during questioning.
The incident comes amid similar cases in Italy, where authorities have confronted a wave of unprovoked assaults targeting women.
🇮🇹🚨 A 30-year-old Italian woman was slashed in the face with a broken bottle on Saturday evening in Piazza delle Carceri in Prato, the latest in what authorities say is a pattern of unprovoked attacks carried out by the same 20-year-old Moroccan suspect.
The attacker was… pic.twitter.com/aQWynHRJXY
— Remix News & Views (@RMXnews) December 8, 2025In Prato, near Florence, a 30-year-old woman was slashed in the face with a broken bottle on Saturday night in Piazza delle Carceri. Prosecutors say the attack fits a pattern linked to a 20-year-old Moroccan national, Mohamed Amine Elouardaoui, who is suspected of violently assaulting 10 women in recent weeks. Some victims suffered fractures, others disfigurement.
In the most recent attack, police stopped the suspect, but because he had earlier been declared mentally unfit, an arrest was not possible. A mental incompetence order has since been confirmed, meaning he will not face trial and will instead receive hospital treatment for his mental health.
Elouardaoui is believed to hold a valid residence permit and is considered responsible for six to ten similar assaults against Italian women in the past month, Il Giornale reported.
A previous episode in Paris also sparked concern about random street violence. On Sept. 28 at Gare du Nord, Zalatgul B., a 31-year-old Afghan refugee, was arrested after threatening passers-by with scissors and shouting insults such as “Fuck the French!” and “Fuck France!”
Security personnel subdued him and recovered the weapon. He is a repeat offender with convictions for similar behaviour.
An inquiry described him as homeless, addicted to opioids, and “a social hazard,” raising questions about his continued risk to the public.
