Jewish School Targeted in Paris as Vandals Smash Windows, Tear Down Identifying Plaque

On the evening of Saturday, January 31, several individuals vandalized a Jewish elementary school in Paris, causing significant damage to the building’s exterior, the Paris prosecutor’s office said Sunday.

The attack targeted the Lubavitch Jewish primary school Beit Chana, located in the French capital’s 20th arrondissement, adding to mounting concerns over antisemitic incidents across France in a sustained rise in reported cases nationwide.

According to the prosecutor’s office, “On Saturday night, several individuals carried out acts of vandalism at the Jewish Lubavitch elementary school Beit Hanna, located in Paris’s 20th arrondissement.” The statement said three windows at the school were smashed during the attack.

In addition to the broken windows, vandals damaged a closed-circuit television camera mounted on the building and tore off the plaque identifying the site as a Jewish school. “Three windows of the school were broken, a closed-circuit television camera and the building’s sign were damaged,” the prosecutor’s office said.

Authorities later found the plaque in a nearby square. The statement added that “The sign was found in a nearby park. The vandals did not enter the school.” Prosecutors emphasized that the interior of the building was not accessed during the incident.

Paris police opened an investigation into the attack on suspicion of aggravated damage, with investigators tasked with identifying those responsible for the vandalism and determining the circumstances surrounding the incident.

According to French legal authorities, the investigation was opened for “damage aggravated by two circumstances,” specifically that the act was carried out by several individuals acting together and that it was motivated by religion. No arrests had been announced as of Sunday, and police have not released any information regarding possible suspects.

The vandalism comes against the backdrop of persistently high levels of antisemitic activity in France. According to data published by the French Interior Ministry, 1,570 antisemitic incidents were recorded nationwide in 2024. In the first eight months of 2025 alone, authorities documented 889 such incidents. Full data for the entirety of 2025 is expected to be released later this month.

French officials have repeatedly warned that Jewish institutions remain prime targets amid heightened tensions and have pledged to reinforce security at schools, synagogues, and community centers.

In November, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez publicly assured Jewish institutions of the government’s commitment to their protection. “I am fully committed to the security of Jewish institutions and to the fight against antisemitism,” he said at the time, adding that he would be uncompromising in defending the Jewish community.