In a suburb of Paris, the reported rape of a 12-year-old Jewish girl has ignited widespread protests and drawn condemnation from top politicians, who have linked the incident to a surge in antisemitism. French authorities have indicted two 13-year-old boys on charges of aggravated rape, making religious insults and death threats, and recording or sharing explicit images, among other crimes.

According to a statement from prosecutors on Wednesday, a third boy, aged 12, has been charged as an assisting witness to the rape, as well as for making religious insults and death threats. The girl, in her police interview, revealed that she had known one of the boys before the attack. However, the boys, during police interviews, expressed regret towards the girl without addressing their alleged involvement. Their identities have remained undisclosed by authorities.

The details of this case have sent shockwaves throughout France, with Prime Minister Gabriel Attal denouncing the incident as "a monstrous and abject act" in a social media post. The chief rabbi of France, Haïm Korsia, expressed his horror at the attack, stating that no one can be excused from this surge of antisemitism.

Antisemitic acts have witnessed a significant rise in France, causing alarm among the Jewish community. The Interior Ministry recorded a staggering 1,676 antisemitic attacks last year, marking a fourfold increase compared to 2022. Majority of these acts were reported after the attack on Israel by Hamas on October 7 and the subsequent war in Gaza.

To address these concerns, French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin has ordered heightened security at synagogues and Jewish schools. Furthermore, activists have called for a mass demonstration against antisemitism in Paris, which is set to take place on Friday.

A rally was recently held at Paris's City Hall, gathering over 1,000 people who came together to oppose the rise of anti-Jewish hatred and show solidarity with the 12-year-old victim. French Justice Minister Éric Dupond-Moretti, addressing the crowd, warned against downplaying instances of antisemitism, emphasizing that words can escalate to acts.

Even the far-right leader of the populist National Rally, Jordan Bardella, stressed the importance of combating the atmosphere of antisemitism in France. While the French far-right has a historical association with antisemitism, Bardella and the party's current leader, Marine Le Pen, have worked towards rebranding and moderating their stance.

With the National Rally claiming victory over President Emmanuel Macron's centrist coalition in the recent European Parliament elections, the party is expected to perform well in the upcoming snap legislative elections, potentially giving them a chance to govern for the first time.