Two Latvian tourists were sexually assaulted in Paris by a group of seven men on the Champ de Mars, near the Eiffel Tower on Saturday night leading to the arrests of four foreign nationals.
Two Algerian and two Egyptian males were arrested at the scene, while three others fled, sparking a police investigation to track down those responsible.
According to Actu17, the assault occurred around 2:30 a.m. when officers from the Parisian anti-crime brigade patrolling the area spotted the two women being surrounded by the group.
One man was seen trying to undress one of the victims and kissing her breasts, according to a police source. Both women were subjected to inappropriate touching.
The police intervened immediately, arresting four men on the spot. The suspects, identified as adult males of Algerian and Egyptian nationality, were taken into custody for further questioning. The other three attackers managed to escape, and police are currently reviewing surveillance footage from the area to identify the culprits.
Initially, the two victims expressed their intent to file a formal complaint. However, due to the trauma and shock from the attack, they later changed their minds, opting to return to their accommodation to rest.
Despite this, authorities have indicated that the investigation will continue, as prosecutors can still pursue charges against the suspects even without formal complaints from the victims.
Series of sexual attacks in Paris
The attack follows another disturbing case from last weekend when a 24-year-old woman was violently raped in the Beaubourg neighborhood, in the 3rd arrondissement, as she was walking home. The attacker, who fled the scene on a bicycle, remains at large. Police sources have noted a disturbing pattern of assailants targeting women who appear vulnerable, often late at night.
In a separate case this weekend, a woman was sexually assaulted in broad daylight near the Jardin d’Acclimatation in the Bois de Boulogne. The assailant, described as a man of North African appearance, grabbed her from behind after exposing himself, according to journalist Amaury Brelet of Valeurs Actuelles.
Despite the victim’s screams, which caused the attacker to flee, he has not yet been apprehended.
Authorities have ramped up patrols across the French capital and are intensifying investigations to address what appears to be an increase in street-level sexual assaults across the city, particularly on weekends.
Video surveillance from multiple locations will be reviewed in connection with the Champ de Mars incident, and the immigration statuses of the suspects are being examined to determine whether any of them were in France illegally.
