Three Serbian nationals have been detained in Paris on Thursday evening, suspected of vandalising Jewish sites with green paint last weekend "to serve the interests of a foreign power", a judicial source told AFP on Friday.
Investigators suspect that Russia may have instigated these actions. The accused allegedly exchanged messages on Telegram with other individuals who have not yet been apprehended.
According to a source familiar with the case, the three men, described as mere operatives motivated by money and unaware of the geopolitical implications, were arrested on Monday in the Alpes-Maritimes as they attempted to leave the country.
In the early hours between Friday and Saturday, they are suspected of spraying green paint on the Wall of the Righteous at the Holocaust Memorial, two synagogues, and a Jewish community restaurant in the 4th arrondissement of Paris, as well as a synagogue in the 20th arrondissement.
The judicial source stated that these Serbs, two born in 1995 and one in 2003, have been charged with damage to private property, a listed historical monument, and a place of worship – these offences were committed as a group, with motives linked to religion or ethnicity, and intended to serve foreign interests.
Two of the three have been remanded in custody, while the third has requested a deferred hearing scheduled for the middle of next week, according to the judicial source.
The possibility of a destabilising operation from abroad was quickly considered by investigators, reminiscent of the so-called "red hands" affair in May 2024, according to another source close to the case.
